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LIBEARY 

OF   THE 

Theological    S 

eminary, 

Case,.,. 

Shelf, 

Boole, 

PRINCETON, 

N.  J. 

1 

SERMONS 


HUGH     LATIMER. 


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SERMONS 


HUGH     LATIMER, 

SOMETIME    BISHOP   OF   WORCESTER, 

MARTYR,  1555. 


EDITED   FOR 


mt  iparttet  Society 


REV.  GEORGE  ELWES  CORRIE,   B.D. 

FELLOW   AND   TUTOR   OF   CATHARINE    HALL,    CAMBRIDGE, 
AND    NORRISIAN    PROFESSOR    OF    DIVINITY    IN    THAT    UNIVERSITY. 


CAMBRIDGE: 

PRINTED   AT 

THE    UNIVERSITY    PRESS. 

M.UCCC.XLIV. 


*fta*.  \ 


.     ETOIT 


- 

CONTEXTS    '   - 


PAOK 

Memoir  of  Hugh  Latimer  i 

Sermons  on  the  Card,  about  1529. 

Sermon  the  First 3 

Sermon  the  Second    17 

Sermon  on  the  Epistle  for  the  Twenty-first  Sunday  after  Trinity, 


1535 


25 


Sermons  before  the  Convocation  of  the  Clergy,  1536. 

Sermon  the  First     33 

Sermon  the  Second  41 

Sermon  of  the  Plough,  1548     59 

Seven  Sermons  preached  before  King  Edward  the  Sixth,  1549. 

Dedication   n. 

Sermon  the  First     85 

Preface  to  the  Second  and  following  Sermons    104 

Sermon  the  Second  H2 

Sermon  the  Third   129 

Sermon  the  Fourth 150 

Sermon  the  Fifth    •. -•, 

Sermon  the  Sixth    194 

Sermon  the  Seventh  2ir 

Last  Sermon  preached  before  King  Edward  the  Sixth,  1550. 

Part  the  First 939 

Part  the  Second    2Kfi 

Sermon  preached  at  Stamford,  1550  282 

Residue  of  the  same  Gospel  declared  in  the  Afternoon  296 

Sermons  on  the  Lord's  Prayer,  1552. 

Dedication    0 

oil 

Sermon  the  First 32„ 

Sermon  the  Second  „., 

t>41 

Sermon  the  Third   „_ 

_  ,  o54 

Sermon  the  Fourth 

_.  ,  obo 

Sermon  the  Fifth Oo„ 

_,  oo9 

Sermon  the  Sixth     

1       Sermon  the  Seventh .^ 


Sermon  on  the  Gospel  for  St  Simon  and  St  Jude's  Day,  1552 447 

Sermons  preached  in  Lincolnshire,  1552. 

On  the  Parahle  of  a  King  that  married  his  Son  455 

On  the  Gospel  for  All  Saints  474 

On  the  Gospel  for  the  Twenty -first  Sunday  after  Trinity   ...  490 

On  the  Epistle  for  the  Twenty-third  Sunday  after  Trinity.  .  511 

On  the  Gospel  for  the  Twenty- fourth  Sunday  after  Trinity...  533 


MEMOIR  OF  HUGH  LATIME] 


" 


. 


■ 


"  My  father  was  a  yeoman,  and  had  no  lands  of  his  own: 
only  he  had  a  farm  of  three  or  four  pound  by  the  year,  at 
the  uttermost,  and  hereupon  he  tilled  so  much  as  kept  half  a 
dozen  men.  He  had  walk  for  a  hundred  sheep ;  and  my 
mother  milked  thirty  kine.  He  was  able,  and  did  find  the 
king  a  harness,  with  himself  and  his  horse,  while  he  came  to 
the  place  that  he  should  receive  the  king's  wages.  He  kept 
me  to  school... He  married  my  sisters  with  five  pound  or 
twenty  nobles  apiece... He  kept  hospitality  for  his  poor 
neighbours,  and  some  alms  he  gave  to  the  poor1."  Such  is 
the  account  which  Hugh  Latimer  gives  of  the  condition  of  his 
father,  who  resided  at  Thurcaston  in  the  county  of  Leicester, 
where  the  subject  of  this  memoir  was  born.  The  exact  year 
in  which  Hugh  Latimer  first  saw  the  light  is  not,  however, 
recorded ;  but  it  is  probable,  for  the  reasons  given  below, 
that  the  date  of  his  birth  was  about  1490  or  1491 2.     After 

1  Sermons,  p.  101,  of  this  volume. 

2  Foxe  informs  us  that  Latimer  was  sent  to  the  university  of 
Cambridge  "at  the  age  of  14  years,"  (Acts  and  Mon.  in.  p.  375,, ed. 
1684,)  and  we  learn  from  the  University  Register,  that  he  was  an 
incepting  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  January  1510.  As,  also,  it  may  be 
presumed  that  he  proceeded  to  his  B.A.  degree  as  soon  as  he  was 
of  the  regular  standing  in  the  university,  it  may  be  concluded  that 
his  extreme  age  in  1510  was  not  more  than  19  years.  Hence,  de- 
ducting 19  from  1510,  we  obtain  1491  for  the  probable  year  of 
his  birth. 

A  similar  result  is  arrived  at  in  another  way:  Latimer  himself 
informs  us  that  he  "  walked  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of  death" 
until  he  "  was  30  years  of  age"  (Sermon  on  Twelfth-day) ;  but  that  he 
began  to  "  smell  the  word  of  God"  in  consequence  of  an  acquaintance 
with  Bilney,  which  commenced  at  the  time  that  he  (Latimer)  "  should 
be  made  Bachelor  of  Divinity."  (Sermons,  p.  334  of  this  vol.)  Now 
since,  according  to  the  University  Register,  Latimer  took  his  M.A. 
degree  in  1514,  he  would  be  proceeding  to  the  degree  of  "Bachelor  of 
r  a 

j_LATIMER.] 


11  MEMOIR    OF    HUGH     LATIMER. 

having  been  educated  at  the  common  schools  of  his  own 
country,  he  was  sent  to  the  university  of  Cambridge  at  the 
age  of  fourteen  years1;  and  was  chosen  fellow  of  Clare  Hall 
in  the  autumn  of  1509,  whilst  yet  an  undergraduate2.  In 
January  1510,  he  proceeded  to  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
Arts,  and  commenced  Master  of  Arts  in  July  15143;  and 
although  there  is  no  certain  record  of  his  having  been  ad- 
mitted to  a  degree  in  Divinity,  yet  there  is  Latimer's  own 
assertion  that  ho  proceeded  to  the  degree  of  Bachelor  in  that 
faculty. 

It  appears  that  Latimer  was  remarkable  in  the  university 
for  "sanctimony  of  life4,"  as  well  as  for  his  studious  habits.  He 
was,  besides,  a  fervent  and  zealous  papist,  and  a  bitter  opposer 
of  all  who  favoured  the  Keformation.  His  own  account  of 
himself  is,  that  he  was  as  obstinate  a  papist  as  any  in  Eng- 
land ;  insomuch  that  when  he  was  made  Bachelor  of  Divinity, 
his  whole  oration  was  against  Philip  Melancthon,  and  the 
opinions  entertained  by  that  eminent  person5.  It  was  at  that 
period,  however,  that  he  became  acquainted  with  Bilney,  and 
from  thenceforward  Latimer  "  forsook  the  school-doctors," 
and  "became  an  earnest  student  of  true  divinity6."  He  now 
also  devoted  himself  more  earnestly  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  He  employed  himself  in  visiting  the  sick,  and 
the  prisoners  in  the  Tower  of  Cambridge.  Ho  frequently 
preached  both  in  English  and  ad  Clerum.  The  account 
given  of  his  sermons  in  the  university  by  Becon,  who  heard 

Divinity"  in  or  about  1521.  If,  therefore,  from  1521  be  deducted  the 
30  years,  at  the  end  of  which  ho  "  became  an  earnest  student  of  true 
<li\  miry."  (Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  Vol.  ra.  p.  375.)  the  result  gives  1491, 
as  before,  for  the  year  of  his  birth. 

1  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  Vol.  ra.  p.  375. 

2  Wordsworth,  Eccl.  Biograph.  Vol.  n.  p.  446,  note,  3rd  edit. 
s  Register  of  the  University  of  Cambridge. 

1  Strype,  Eccl.  Mem.  ra.  i.  p.  3G8,  Oxf.  edit. 

Sermons,  p.  334  of  this  vol. 
'   Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  ubi  supra. 


MEMOIR    OF    HUGH     LATIMER.  Ill 

them,  is  that  "none  except  the  stiff-necked  and  nncircumcised 
in  heart"  ever  "went  away  from  liis  preaching  without  being- 
affected  with  high  detestation  of  sin,  and  moved  unto  all  god- 
liness and  virtue7.11  Many  also,  who  had  been  strongly  pre- 
judiced against  Latimer,  on  being  persuaded  by  their  friends 
to  go  and  hear  him  preach,  returned  from  his  sermons  with 
all  their  prejudices  removed.  Numbers  in  the  university 
were  thus  brought  by  Ins  instrumentality  from  their  "  wyl- 
workes,  as  pylgrimage  and  settyng  up  of  candels,  unto  the 
workes  that  God  commaunded  expressedly  in  his  holy  Scrip- 
ture, and  to  the  reading  and  study  of  God's  worde,  al 
dreames  and  unprofitable  gloses  of  men  set  a  syde  and 
utterly  despised8." 

"  Howbeit,  as  Satan  never  sleepeth  when  he  seeth  his 
kingdom  to  begin  to  decay,  so  likewise  now,  seeing  that  this 
worthy  member  of  Christ  would  be  a  shrewd  shaker  thereof, 
he"  occasioned  to  Master  Latimer  much  trouble  and  moles- 
tation0. "  Whole  swarms  of  friars  and  doctors  flocked  against 
Master  Latimer  on  every  side ; "  and  ultimately  induced  the 
Bishop  of  Ely  to  forbid  his  preaching  any  more  within  the 
churches  of  the  university.  He  nevertheless  obtained  leave 
to  preach  in  the  church  of  the  Augustine  Friars10,  that  being 
exempt  from  episcopal  jurisdiction.  "  Divers  papists  in  the 
university"  then  made  a  "  grievous  complaint"  against  him 
to  Cardinal  Wolsey,  in  consequence  of  which  he  was  sum- 
moned to  London  to  give  an  account  of  himself  and  his  teach- 
ing. But  so  plainly  did  it  appear  that  the  complaints  against 
the  accused  were  merely  personal  and  frivolous,  that  "  after  a 
gentle  admonition  given  unto  Master  Latimer,   the  cardinal 

7  Jewel  of  Joy,  pp.  224,  et  seq.  Pai-k.  Soc.  edit. 

8  Turner,  Preservative,  or  Triacle  against  the  Poyson  of  Pelagius, 
Dedication,  Lond.  1551. 

9  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  ubi  sup. 
i°  Foxe,  in.  380. 


\\  MEMOIB     OF     HUGH     LATIMER. 

discharged  liim  with  his  license  home  to  preach  throughout 
England1." 

Some  time  after  these  marks  of  confidence  had  been 
conferred  upon  him  by  Cardinal  Wolsey,  a  sermon  '  On 
the  Card,"  which  Latimer  preached  about  Christmas  1529, 
gave  great  offence  to  his  opponents,  and  afforded  them  an 
opportunity  for  publicly  inveighing  against  his  doctrine. 
This  led  to  preachings  and  counter-preaching,  to  discussions 
and  recriminations,  until  at  length  these  controversial  pro- 
ceedings in  the  university  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
court.  Dr  Fox,  then  provost  of  King's  College,  and  the 
royal  almoner,  wrote,  in  consequence,  to  the  vice-chancellor, 
informing  him  that  unless  the  university  put  a  stop  to  the 
controversy  between  Master  Latimer  and  others,  the  king* 
himself  intended  "  to  set  some  ordre  therein." 

The  vice-chancellor,  on  the  receipt  of  the  letter,  forth- 
with appointed  a  day  on  which  any  person  who  "  had  any 
thing  to  lay  to  M.  Latymer's  charge,"  should  do  so,  in  order 
that  the  accusation  might  be  heard,  and  justice  done  to  the 
aggrieved  parties.  The  opponents  of  Latimer,  however, 
refused  to  avail  themselves  of  this  challenge.  The  vice- 
chancellor,  therefore,  called  "Master  Latymer,  Masters  Bayn, 
Bryganden,  Grenewod,  and  Mr.  Proctor  of  the  blak  frears," 
before  him  in  the  presence  of  the  senate ;  and  there  com- 
manded both  parties,  on  pain  of  excommunication,  to  cease 
touching  "  such  things  in  the  pulpit  which  had  been  in  con- 
troversy between  them ;  and  also  to  be  careful  to  abstain 
from  using  any  expressions,  either  in  their  sermons  or  in 
their  conversation,  which  might  give  each  other  offence."  It 
may,  at  the  same  time,  be  collected  both  from  Dr  Fox's 
letter,  and  from  the  vice-chancellor's  speech  on  this  occa- 
sion, that  Latimer  was  regarded  as  the  injured  party,  and 
that  he  was  ready  to  give  every  explanation  of  what  he  had 

1  Strype,  Eccl.  Mem.   ubi  sup. 


MEMOIR    OF    HUGH     LATIMER.  V 

said  that  in  reason  could  be  required,  whilst  his  opponents 
seem  to  have  been  actuated  by  "private  malice  towards  him2." 

In  the  month  following  the  transaction  just  mentioned, 
the  name  of  Mr.  Latimer  appears  among  those  of  the  persons 
who  were  appointed  by  grace  of  the  senate  to  define  and 
determine,  on  behalf  of  the  university  of  Cambridge,  the 
question  relating  to  the  lawfulness  of  the  king's  marriage  with 
his  brother's  widow:  and  in  Gardiner's  and  Foxe's  account  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  university  on  that  occasion,  the  name 
of  Latimer  is  marked  as  one  of  those  who  were  known  to 
be  favourable  to  the  king's  divorce3.  The  decision  of  the 
university,  on  the  question  alluded  to,  was  given  on  the 
9th  March,  1530 ;  and  on  the  Sunday  following  Latimer 
preached  before  the  king  at  Windsor.  The  king  is  said  to 
have  "  greatly  praysed  Master  Latymer's  sermon :"  and 
the  preacher  received  five  pounds  for  his  services4. 

M.  Latimer  then  returned  to  Cambridge,  and  employed 
himself  in  preaching  there,  until  he  was  selected  as  one  of 
twelve  of  "  the  best  learned  men  in  divinity  within  that 
university,"  who,  in  obedience  to  a  royal  letter,  were  sent 
to  London  to  meet  a  like  number  of  divines  from  Oxford, 
in  order  to  give  their  advice  and  judgment  concerning 
certain  printed  books  which  had  then  got  into  circulation5. 
The  result  of  the  consultation  of  these  divines  was  the  draw- 
ing up  of  an  "  Instrument  for  the  abolishing  and  inhibiting 
of  the  scripture  and  divers  other  books  to  be  read  in  Eng- 
lish6." This  was  followed  by  a  royal  proclamation,  "  inhibit- 
ing all  English  books  either  containing  or  tending  to  any 
matters  of  scripture7."      But  that  Latimer  did    not    concur 

-  Lamb,  Collection  of  Letters,  &c.  p.  14,  et  seq. 

:s  Lamb,  p.  20.   Burnet,  Hist.  Ref.   Records,  Book  i.  No.  22. 

4  Nicolas,  Privy  Purse  Expenses,  p.  30. 

5  Lamb,  Collection  of  Letters,  &c,  pp.  23 — 27.     Nicolas,  Privy 
Purse  Expenses,  &c,  p.  73. 

6  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  in.  pp.  403,  et  seq. 

'  Wilkins,  Concilia,  in.  737—739.  740—742. 


VI  MEMOIR    OK    HUGH    LATIMER. 

in  this  prohibition  of  the  reading  of  the  scriptures,  may  be 
inferred  from  his  letter  to  King  Henry  VIII.,  bearing  date 
December  1,  1530,  in  which  he  pleads  "for  the  restoring 
again  of  the  free  liberty  of  reading"  the  word  of  God. 
With  reference  also  to  the  "Instrument"  above  mentioned, 
he  intimates,  that  it  did  not  express  the  opinion  of  all  the 
divines  who  were  called  upon  for  their  "advice,"  inasmuch 
as  "  there  were  three  or  four  that  would  have  had  the 
scripture  to  go  forth  in  English1,"  had  not  their  wishes 
been  •■  overcome"  by  the  majority. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  M.  Latimer  was  made  one 
of  the  royal  chaplains:  and  in  consequence  of  his  appoint* 
nient  to  that  office,  he  "  went  to  court,  where  he  remained  a 
certain  time,  preaching  then  very  often  in  London2."  "  A 
great  man"  seems  to  have  admonished  him  "  on  first  coming 
to  court,"  to  beware  that  he  "  contraried  not  the  King3." 
Yet  Latimer  was  in  the  habit  of  speaking  so  boldly  against 
the  vices  of  the  court,  that  he  was,  on  more  than  one 
occasion,  in  danger  of  bringing  himself  into  trouble4. 

"  At  last  being  weary  of  court,"  and  having  the  benefice 
of  West  Kington,  in  Wiltshire,  offered  to  him  "  by  the  king, 
at  the  suit  of  Cromwell  and  Dr  Butts,"  the  king's  physician, 
M.  Latimer  accepted  that  living,  and  went  to  reside  upon 
it.  There  "  this  good  preacher  did  exercise  himself  to 
instruct  his  flock;  and  not  only  to  them  his  diligence  ex- 
tended, but  also  to  all  the  country  about5."  He  did  not, 
however,  offend  against  ecclesiastical  order  by  thus  ex- 
tending his  labours  "  to  all  the  country  about,"'1  instead  of 
confining  his  ministrations  to  his  own  parish;  for  as  one  of 
the  twelve  preachers  who  were  licensed  by  the  university  of 

1   Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.   in.   p.   411.  edit.    1G84. 

'-'  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  Vol.  in.  p.  381. 

;  Seventh  Sermon  before  Edw.  YI.   p.  231  of  this  vol. 

1  Sermons,  pp.    93,    134  of  tins  vol. 

1   Foxe,   Arts  and  Mon.  ubi  supr 


MEMOIR    OF    HUGH     LATIMER.  Vll 

Cambridge,  he  had  full  authority  to  preach  throughout  the 
whole  realm. 

But  "  his  diligence  was  so  great,  his  preaching  so  mighty, 
the  manner  of  his  teaching  so  zealous6,11  that  it  was  not  long 
that  M.  Latimer  was  suffered  to  remain  in  peace.  Complaints 
were  made  against  him  by  the  country  priests  and  others; 
and  the  consequence  was,  that  in  January  1532  he  was  cited 
to  appear  before  the  bishop  of  London.  The  ostensible 
reasons  for  this  citation  were,  that  Latimer  had  preached  in 
the  diocese  of  London  without  the  bishop's  permission;  and 
had,  moreover,  "  gone  about  to  defend  Bilney  and  his  cause 
against  his  ordinaries  and  judges7."  The  true  reason  was, 
as  the  proceedings  of  the  bishop  of  London  shewed,  to  get 
Latimer  into  the  hands  of  Convocation;  that  body  having 
an  outstanding  grudge  against  him8.  Against  this  citation, 
therefore,  he  appealed  to  his  own  ordinary,  the  chancellor 
of  the  diocese  of  Sarum,  with  whom  the  authority  to  correct 
him  rested,  if  "he  needed  reformation."  He  pleaded  also 
his  unwillingness  to  encounter  unnecessarily  the  hazard  of 
a  journey  to  London  in  the  depth  of  winter,  and  in  a 
bad  state  of  health.  He,  nevertheless,  expressed  his  readi- 
ness to  take  such  a  journey,  if  his  ordinary,  to  do  the 
bishop  of  London  pleasure,  commanded  him  to  go,  "  though 
it  should  be  never  so  great  a  grievance  and  painful  to 
him8."  The  end  of  the  affair  was,  that  M.  Latimer  "  was 
had  up  to  London"  before  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  and 
the  bishop  of  London,  "  Avhere  he  was  greatly  molested,  and 
detained  a  long  space  from  his  cure  at  home :"  having  also 
been  several  times  convened  before  Convocation,  and  excom- 
municated even  and  imprisoned  for  a  time,  because  he  refused 

6  Letter  to  Sir  Edw.  Baynton.     Foxe,  in.  pp.  396,  et  seq. 

1  Wilkins,  Concil.  in.  725.  See  also  Latimer's  Letter  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  Vol.  in.  p.  382, 
et  seq. 

s  Letter  to  Sir  Edward  Baynton. 


Mil  MEMOIR    OF    HUGH    LATIMER. 

to  subscribe  to  certain  "Articles  devised  by  the  bishops." 
Then,  after  a  fruitless  appeal  to  the  crown  against  the  sen- 
tence of  the  Convocation,  it  was  only  at  the  special  request 
of  the  king,  and  in  consequence  of  Latimer's  submission  to 
Convocation,  and  his  promise  that  he  would  in  future  obey 
the  laws  and  observe  the  decrees  of  the  Church,  that  he  was 
absolved  from  the  sentence  of  excommunication,  and  allowed 
to  return  to  his  cure1.  It  seems,  however,  that  Bishop 
Stokesley  was  so  little  satisfied  with  this  submission  to  Con- 
vocation, that  he  inhibited  Latimer  from  preaching  within 
the  diocese  of  London2. 

In  the  following  year  we  find  M.  Latimer  still  giving 
offence  by  liis  preaching.  A  letter  of  complaint  from  a  priest 
at  Bristol,  named  "  Bychard  Brown,"  to  an  influential  mem- 
ber of  Convocation,  states  that  he  (Latimer)  "  hath  done 
much  hurt  among  the  people  by  his  preaching,  and  soweth 
errors ;"  and  that  he  had  vented  "  divers  opinions  fully 
against  the  determinations  of  the  Church3."  It  is  probable 
that  it  was  this  complaint  which  induced  the  Convocation  to 
resolve,  that  a  copy  of  the  submission  made  and  subscribed 
by  M.  Latimer  before  Convocation  in  the  preceding  year 
should  be  transmitted  to  some  approved  and  learned  person 
in  those  parts  of  the  country  in  which  Latimer  either  had 
preached  or  was  likely  to  preach4.  Opposition,  also,  of  every 
kind  was  offered  to  his  ministration  by  various  ecclesiastics ; 
his  chief  opponent  being  Mr.  Hubberdin,  or  Hebcrdynne,  a 
person  whose  violent  temper  and  disposition  seems  to  have 
supplied  the  place  of  learning  and  discretion5. 

1  Wilkins,  Condi,  hi.  747.  Wordsworth,  Eccl.  Biogr.  n.  pp.  524, 
note,  3rd  edit. 

-   Wilkins,  in.   p.  760. 

■!  Strype,  Eccl.  Mem.  i.  i.  248,  Oxf.  edit. 

1   Wilkins,  Concil.  in.  756. 

5  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  in.  Letters  relating  to  the  Suppression 
of  the  Monasteries,  pp.  7 13. 


MEMOIR    OF    HUGH     LATIMER.  IX 

But  notwithstanding  the  obloquy  and  bufferings  to  which 
Latimer  was  exposed,  he  did  not  suffer  in  the  estimation 
of  Dr  Cranmer,  now  archbishop  of  Canterbury :  for  we  find 
that,  "  at  the  instance  and  request"  of  Master  Latimer,  that 
prelate  was  in  the  habit  of  licensing  "  divers  to  preach  witliin 
his  province."  The  archbishop  also  entrusted  to  Latimer 
the  administration  of  certain  Injunctions  relating  to  preachers, 
and  empowered  him  to  withdraw  tho  licenses  of  preachers,  if 
he  saw  occasion  to  do  so6. 

It  was,  moreover,  by  the  good  offices  of  Archbishop  Cran- 
mer, that  Latimer  was  admitted  to  preach  before  tho  king 
on  all  the  Wednesdays  of  Lent  1534.  An  opportunity  was 
thus  afforded  to  "  his  highness,  that  he  himself  might  perceive 
how  they  belied"  M.  Latimer,  who  said  that  "  he  had  neither 
learning  nor  utterance  worthy"  of  the  occasion7. 

At  length  Master  Latimer  was  "  advanced  to  the  dignity 
and  degree  of  a  bishop,"  having  been  elected  into  the  see  of 
Worcester  about  the  middle  of  August  1535,  and  consecrated 
during  the  ensuing  month8. 

On  the  9th  of  June  in  the  following  year,  our  bishop 
was  appointed  to  preach  before  the  Convocation,  which  as- 
sembled on  that  day,  and  in  winch  the  royal  supremacy,  in 
ecclesiastical  as  well  as  civil  affairs,  after  having  been  long 
kept  in  abeyance,  was  again  re-asserted9.  Bishop  Latimer, 
however,  made  himself  many  enemies  in  consequence  of  the 
faithful  earnestness  with  which  he  urged  upon  the  whole 
ecclesiastical  body  the  importance  of  reformation,  both  as 
regarded  doctrine  and  practice. 

There  is  evidence  enough  remaining  of  the  great  assiduity 

6  Cranmer's  Remains,  edited  by  Jenkyns,  Vol.  I.  pp.  121,  et  scq. 
"  Cranmer's  Remains,  Vol.   I.  p.  123,  125.      Latimer,   Letter  to 
Morice,  sub  fin.    Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  hi.  p.  392. 

8  Latimer,  Letter  to  Cromwell,  Sept.  4,  1535.     Le  Neve,  Fasti, 
p.   298. 

9  Strype,  Eccles.  Mem.  i.  i.  p.  37S,  Oxf.  edit. 


X  MEMOIR    OE    HUGH     LATIMER. 

with  which  the  bishop  of  Worcester  devoted  himself  at  all 
times  "to  teaching,  exhorting,  visiting,  correcting,  and  re- 
forming'' within  his  diocese,  "as  his  ability  could  serve,  or 
else  the  times  would  bear1."  But  the  year  1537  may,  per- 
haps, be  regarded  as  comprising  one  of  the  most  important 
periods  of  his  episcopate.  It  was  in  that  year  that  he  was 
one  of  the  divines  who  were  commissioned  to  "set  forth  a 
truth  of  religion  purged  of  errors  and  heresies;"  the  result 
of  the  commission  being  the  book  entitled  "  The  Institution 
of  a  Christian  Man."  In  the  course  of  the  same  year,  also, 
it  was  that  he  put  forth  his  "  Injunctions  to  the  Prior  and 
Convent  of  Worcester,"  which,  though  specially  addressed  to 
that  body,  were  intended  to  apply  to  all  the  monastic  foun- 
dations in  the  diocese.  To  these  must  be  added  the  "  Injunc- 
tions given  by  the  Bishop  of  Worcester,  in  his  visitation,  to  all 
parsons,  vicars,'and  other  curates  of  his  diocese."  It  appears 
also  from  his  letters  to  Cromwell,  that  in  this  visitation  the 
bishop  was  constantly  occupied  in  giving  his  personal  attention 
to  the  rectifying  of  disorders  of  every  kind. 

But  the  unsettled  state  of  ecclesiastical  affairs  did  not 
permit  Bishop  Latimer  to  confine  his  labours  entirely  within 
his  own  diocese.  We  find  him,  accordingly,  in  London  (1538) 
united  with  Archbishop  Cranmer,  and  another  prelate,  taking 
cognizance  of  a  fanatical  doctor  named  Crewkehorne.  Lam- 
bert also,  who  was  afterwards  burnt  in  Smithfield,  is 
mentioned  as  one  of  those  in  the  private  examination  of 
whom  Bishop  Latimer  was  concerned,  and  against  whom 
it  is  stated  in  a  letter  of  Thomas  Dorset,  a  contemporary, 
that  he  was  "most  extreme2."  The  same  person  gives  an 
account,  also,  of  a  very  characteristic  sermon  which  our 
bishop  preached  this  year  at  "  Paulis  Crosse3."  The  bishop 
was.    moreover,  appointed  by  lord   Cromwell  to  preach  the 

1  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  in.  p.  384. 

2  Letters  on  the  Suppression  of  the  Monasteries,  pp.  36,  37. 
;i  Ibid,  p    38 


MEM01K    Or    HUUII     LATI.MEK.  XI 

sermon,  in  Smithtield,  at  the  execution  of  friar  Forest4 ; 
and  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  was  commissioned  to 
examine  the  famous  imposture  called  "  the  blood  of  Hales," 
as  he  had  before  been  employed  to  detect  the  imposture  of 
the  maid  of  Kent5. 

But  "  it  were  a  large  and  long  process  to  story  out  all 
the  travails  of  this  christian  bishop  :"  suffice  it  that  "  he  con- 
tinued in  this  laborious  function  till  the  coming  in  of  the 
Six  Articles6."  "  An  act  for  abolishing  of  diversity  of  opinions 
in  certain  articles  concerning  Christian  religion,"  passed  in 
the  parliament  which  assembled  April  28,  1539,  rendered  it 
highly  penal  to  deny  or  in  any  way  to  impugn  transubstan- 
tiation,  communion  in  one  kind,  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy, 
the  lawfulness  of  monastic  vows,  private  masses,  or  auricular 
confession.  And  as  Bishop  Latimer,  among  others,  strenu- 
ously opposed  the  passing  of  the  "  Act  of  blood,"  it  would 
seem  that  the  Lord  Cromwell,  having  failed  to  induce  him 
to  cease  to  place  himself  in  opposition  "  to  the  king  and 
the  whole  parliament,"  "  bore  him  in  hand  (contrary  to  the 
fact)  that  it  was  his  majestie's  pleasure  he  should  resign" 
his  bishoprick7.  Latimer  accordingly  resigned  the  see  of 
Worcester  on  the  1st  of  July,  1539. 

After  the  resignation  of  his  bishoprick,  it  would  seem 
that  M.  Latimer  was  placed  "  in  ward"  in  the  house  of  Dr 
Sampson,  bishop  of  Chichester8,  and  that  he  remained  in  the 
custody  of  the  bishop,  until  that  prelate  was  himself  com- 
mitted  to  the   Tower9.     There  is  reason  for  believing  that 

4  Holinshed,  in.  p.  945. 

5  Hearne.  Benedict.,  &c.  Abbat.  Tom.  n.  pp.  751,  et  seq.  Latimer, 
Letter  to  Cromwell,  28  Oct.  1538.  Strype,  Eccl.  Mem.  i.  i.  p.  281, 
Oxf.   edit. 

«  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  hi.  p.  385. 

7  Comp.  Latimer,  3rd  Serm.  before  K.  Edw.  VI.  p.  136  of  this 
volume.     State  Papers,  Vol.  i.  p.  849. 

8  Sermons,  p.  164  of  this  vol. 

9  State  Papers,  Hen.  VIII.  Vol.  i.  pp.  627,  et  seq.  Strype,  Eccl. 
Mem.  i.  i.  p.  502. 


Xii  MEMOIR    OF    HUGH     LATIMER. 

Latimer  was  then  set  at  liberty;  and  that,  although  on  coming 
to  London  for  medical  advice  "he  was  molested  and  troubled 
of  the  bishops,"  he  yet  continued  at  large  until  1546.  Then, 
under  suspicion  of  having  "counselled  and  devised  with 
Crome,"  he  was  examined  before  the  privy  council,  and  "at 
length  was  cast  into  the  Tower ;  where  he  continually  re- 
mained prisoner  till  the  time  that  blessed  King  Edward 
entered  his  crown1." 

Edward  VI.  having  succeeded  to  the  crown  in  January 
1547,  the  bishoprick  of  Worcester  was  again  offered  to  Mr. 
Latimer,  during  the  year  following,  in  consequence  of  an 
address  from  the  House  of  Commons  to  the  Lord  Protector 
Somerset2:  but  he  declined  the  proffered  dignity,  and  chose 
rather  to  devote  himself  to  preaching,  and  to  obtaining  redress 
for  the  injured  and  oppressed  among  the  lower  orders  of  the 
people ;  his  chief  residence  being  with  Archbishop  Cranmer, 
at  Lambeth3.  In  other  respects,  however,  Latimer  was  not 
unemployed:  for  his  name  appears  in  a  commission,  the  object 
of  which  was  to  repress  heresy ;  and  he  was  also  one  of  the 
divines  appointed  to  reform  the  ecclesiastical  law4.  He  is 
said,  moreover,  to  have  assisted  Archbishop  Cranmer  to  com- 
pose the  Homilies  which  were  put  forth  by  authority  in  the 
first  year  of  King  Edward  the  sixth's  reign.  "  In  the  which 
his  painful  travails  he  continued  all  King  Edward's  time; 
preaching  for  the  most  part  two  sermons  every  Sunday ;  and, 
besides  this,  every  morning  ordinarily,  winter  and  summer, 
about  two  of  the  clock  in  the  morning  he  was  at  his  book 
most  diligently5." 

But  scarcely  was  Queen  Mary  seated  on  the  throne,  to 

1  State  Papers,  Vol.  i.  pp.  848,  et  seq.     Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  in. 
p.  385,  edit.  1684.     See  p.  319  of  tlus  vol. 

2  Journ.  H.  of  Comra.  Jan.  8, 1548. 
•  Sermons,  p.  127  of  this  vol. 

1  Strype,  Eccl.  Mem.  n.  i.  385 ;  ii.  200.     Cranm.  254,  388,  Oxf. 
..lit. 

Sermons,  p.  320  of  this  vol. 


MEMOIR    OF    HUGH    LATIMER.  X1U 

wliich  she  had  succeeded  on  the  death  of  her  brother,  in  July 
1553,  when  Latimer  was  summoned  from  Warwickshire, 
to  appear  before  the  privy  council  in  London ;  and  on  the 
13th  September,  1553,  was  committed  a  close  prisoner  to 
the  Tower6.  In  the  April  of  the  following  year  he,  to- 
gether with  Archbishop  Cranmer  and  Bishop  Ridley,  was 
conveyed  to  Oxford  for  the  purpose  of  holding  disputations 
on  transubstantiation  and  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  before 
certain  commissioners  appointed  for  the  occasion.  The  result 
was,  that  the  three  prelates  were  adjudged  to  be  heretics, 
were  excommunicated,  and  delivered  over  to  the  secular 
power.  Accordingly,  Latimer  and  his  two  companions  in 
tribulation  were  committed  to  Bocardo,  the  common  gaol  in 
Oxford,  and  there  lay  incarcerated  until  September,  1555. 
Then,  as  if  the  church  of  Rome  were  unwilling  that  any 
blood  should  be  shed  except  by  her  own  hands,  the  bishops 
Latimer  and  Ridley  were  subjected  afresh  to  a  mock  trial 
under  the  professed  sanction  of  a  papal  commission,  were  again 
condemned,  and,  as  a  consequence,  led  forth  to  martyrdom  on 
the  16th  of  October,  1555.  "When  Master  Latimer  stood  at 
the  stake,  and  the  tormentors  were  about  to  set  the  fire  upon 
him  and  that  most  reverend  father  Doctor  Ridley,  he  lifted  up 
his  eyes  towards  heaven,  with  a  most  amiable  and  comfortable 
countenance,  saying  these  words,  '  God  is  faithful,  which  does 
not  suffer  us  to  be  tempted  above  our  strength'."  Address- 
ing himself  also  to  Bishop  Ridley,  he  said,  "  Be  of  good 
comfort,  Master  Ridley,  and  play  the  man :  we  shall  this 
day  light  such  a  candle,  b\  God's  grace,  in  England,  as  I 
trust  shall  never  be  put  out."  Then,  soon  after  the  fire 
had  been  kindled,  and  the  flames  had  begun  to  envelope  the 
sufferers,  Master  Latimer  soon  passed  into  a  better  life, 
whilst  earnestly  calling  upon  God  to  receive  his  soul. 

Such  was  the  end  of  Hugh  Latimer,  "that  blessed  servant 

6  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  in.  p.  385,  eel.  1684.      Haynes,  Burghley 
State  Papers,  p.  183. 


MEMOIR    OF    HUGH     LATIMER. 


of  God,"  and  martyr  for  the  truth;  "for  whose  laborious 
travails,  fruitful  life  and  constant  death,  the  whole  realm" 
of  England  "  has  cause  to  give  great  thanks  to  Almighty 
God'." 


The  following   is   the  list  of  Bishop  Latimer's  works  as 
given  by  Bishop  Tanner  in  his  Bibliotheca : 

"Scripsit,  Orationem  ad  ecclesiasticorum  conventum  ante 
consultationem  de  regni  statu  per  evangelium  reformando  .  .  . 

mdxcii.  8vo.  Basil,  mdxxxvii.  .  .  .  Concionum  doctissi- 
marum  volumen ;  quarum  multse  fuerunt  habita3  coram  rege 
Edwardo  VI.  et  Catharina  ducissa  Suffolc.  quae  saepiuscule  in 
idiomate  Anglico  excusae  sunt.  H.  Holland.  Herool.  p.  154. 
Collects  sunt  nonuulla?  Lond.  per  Tho.  Some,  mdxlix. 
Extant  conciones  num.  xli.  cura  famuh  Aug.  Bernhere. 
Lond.  mdlxxi.  mdlxxv.  4to.  Extant  condones  numero 
xxvii.  Lond.  mdlxii.  Extant  Conciones  num.  xxxviii.  Lond. 
mdlxxii.  4to.  Extant  xl.  London,  mpcv,  Et  xli.  Lond, 
mdcxxxv.  4to.  Extat  Concio  ejus  in  die  nativitatis  Christi 
MDXXix.  in  verba  "  Tu  quis  es,"  etc.  Fox.  p.  1731.  non 
extat  in  vol.  in  4to.  Alia  in  eodem  die.  Fox.  p.  2142. 
Extat  Concio  ejus  coram  parliamento2  A.  mdxxxvii.  Alia 
coram  rege  Edwardo  et  consilio.  Pr.  "  Take  hede  and  be- 
ware." Lond.  by  John  Day  .  .  .  12mo.  Item  extat  ejus 
Notable  sermon  preactid  in  the  Shrouds  at  Pauls,  London 
28  Jan.  mdxlviii.  Lond.  by  John  Day  .  .  .  8vo.  Item 
Sermon  at  Stamford  9  Octob.  mdl.  Pr.  "  Reddite  ergo 
qurc  sunt  Caesaris.  Thys  doctrine."  Lond.  by  J.  Day  .  .  . 
12mo.  Ad  suos  Leicestrenses*,  lib.  i.  "  Pacem,  quam  Ser- 
vator  noster."     Bal.  viii.   85.      Disputationem  cum  Ridlaeo 

1  p.  323  of  this  vol.     Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  in.  p.  430.      Bishop 
Bull,  Works,  Vol.  iv.'p.  459,  Oxf.  1827. 

2  The  Oratio  >«/  Ecclesiast.  Conventum,  above  mentioned. 
;  The  letter  Ad  cvmicos  ex  carcere,  mentioned  l»elow. 


MEMOIR    OF     HUGH     LATIMER.  XV 

contra  missam,  lib.  i.  "  Let  every  knee  bow  at  the  name." 
MS.  bibl.  Bocll.  NE.  B.  ii.  7.  extat  .  .  .  mdlvi.  12mo.  v. 
F.  1718.  Ad  amicos  ex  careers,  lib.  i.  Bal.  1.  c.  Injunc- 
tiones  ad  priorem  et  conventum  S.  Marice  Wigom.  A. 
mdxxxvii.  Pr.  "  Forasmuch  as  in  this  my  visitation." 
Burnet,  Hist.  Reform.  Tom.  n.  Append,  p.  293.  Disputa- 
tionem  Oxonice.  18  April,  mdliv.  Fox.  p.  1454.  seq. 
His  protestation  there  20  April  mdliv.  MS.  bibl.  Em- 
manuel. Cantabr.  Homcliam  coram  rege  Edwardo,  in  qua 
qualis  rex  esse  debeat  ostenditur*.  Pr.  "  Cum  veneris  in 
terrain."  MS.  C.  C.  C.  Cantabr.  Miscell.  D.  p.  339.  His 
answers  to  the  articles  falsely  imputed  to  him  by  Dr  Powel 
of  Salisbury,  Mr.  Hubbardine,  etc.  1.  That  our  lady  is 
no  sinner.  2.  Saints  are  not  to  be  honoured.  3.  There  is 
no  fire  in  hell.  4.  There  is  no  purgatory  after  this  life. 
Pr.  "  Occasioned  of  some  not  only."  Fox.  1  edit.  p.  1309. 
A  letter  on  the  same  argument  to  Mr  Morrice.  Ibidem. 
Epistolas  vhi.  ii.  Latine,  vi.  Anglice,  apud  Fox.  p.  1736. 
1741.  Epistolas  ii.  M.  Parkero.  MS.  C.  C.  C.  Cantabr. 
Miscell.  i.  403.  ii.  40.  Alias  ii.  ex  carcere.  i.  Pr.  "  The 
word  of  the  Lord  endureth."  2.  Pr.  "  Brethren ;  the  time 
is  come."  MS.  bibl.  Emmanuel.  Cantabr.  inter  Epistolas 
Martyrum." 

To  these  may  be  added,  "  Injunctions  to  the  Clergy  of 
the  Diocese  of  Worcester,  1537."  Thirty-seven  Letters  to 
Lord  Cromwell,  the  greater  part  of  which  have  not  been 
printed. 


It  remains  to  be  stated  that,  in  reprinting  the  Sermons 
of  Bishop  Latimer,  the  old  editions  (in  a  more  or  less  com- 
plete state)  to  which  access  could  be  had,  are  those  of  1549, 
1562,    1571,    1572,    1584,    1607,    1635;    and   latterly  the 
4  A  Latin  version  of  the  first  Sermon  before  King  Edw.  VI. 


XVI  MEMOIR    OF    HUGH    LATIMER. 

edition  of  1596.  It  does  not,  however,  appear  that  the 
printing  of  any  of  the  sermons  was  superintended  by  the 
author  liimself  (with  the  exception  possibly  of  the  Sermon 
before  the  Convocation),  although  it  is  probable  that  he  was 
a  consenting  party  to  the  publication  of  those  contained  in 
the  edition  of  1549 \  The  remaining  sermons  were  "gather- 
ed" by  Augustine  Bernher,  a  Swiss,  the  faithful  friend  and 
attendant  of  Bishop  Latimer  ;  "  albeit  not  so  fully  and  per- 
fectly as  they  were  uttered."  Considering,  therefore,  the 
circumstances  under  which  these  sermons  were  first  given  to 
the  world,  it  need  not  be  a  matter  of  surprise,  if  they  ex- 
hibit traces  of  the  foreign  hand  by  which  they  were  collected ; 
and  if  the  preacher's  allusions  to  historical  events,  and  his 
citations  of  different  writers,  are  occasionally  found  recorded  in 
an  indefinite  or  inaccurate  form,  thus  rendering  the  attempt  to 
verify  them  a  task  of  some  difficulty  and  uncertainty. 

1  See  the    Sermon  on    the  Epistle  for  the   23rd  Sunday  after 
Trinity,"  sub  init.    p.  511  of  this  vol. 


ERRATA. 


p.  49,  note  3,  for  expective,  read  exjiectativce. 

73,  note  1,  for  "  Mem.  of  Cranmer,  Append.  No.  1,"  read,  Eccles.  Mem. 
Vol.  1.  i.  p.  445,  seq.  Oxf.  edit. 


SERMONS 


HUGH    LATIMER, 


SOMETIME 


BISHOP  OF   WORCESTER. 


[  LATIMER.] 


[These  Sermons  on  the  Card  are  reprinted  from  the  first  edition 
of  the  Acts  and  Monuments  of  John  Foxe,  pp.  1298,  &c.  In  the 
account  of  Bishop  Latimer,  given  in  the  present  volume,  some  par- 
ticulars will  be  found  respecting  them.] 


SERMONS  ON  THE   CARD. 


THE  TENOR  AND  EFFECT  OF  CERTAIN  SERMONS  MADE 

BY  MASTER  LATIMER  IN  CAMBRIDGE,  ABOUT 

THE  YEAR  OF  OUR  LORD  1529. 


Tu  quis  es  ?  Which  words  are  as  much  to  say  in 
English,  "Who  art  thou?"  These  be  the  words  of  the 
Pharisees,  which  were  sent  by  the  JeAvs  unto  St  John  Baptist 
in  the  wilderness,  to  have  knowledge  of  him  who  he  was : 
which  words  they  spake  unto  him  of  an  evil  intent,  thinking 
that  he  would  have  taken  on  him  to  be  Christ,  and  so  they 
would  have  had  him  done  with  their  good  wills,  because  they 
knew  that  he  was  more  carnal,  and  given  to  their  laws,  than 
Christ  indeed  should  be,  as  they  perceived  by  then-  old  pro- 
phecies ;  and  also,  because  they  marvelled  much  of  his  great 
doctrine,  preaching,  and  baptizing,  they  were  in  doubt  whether 
he  was  Christ  or  not :  wherefore  they  said  unto  him,  "  Who 
art  thou?"  Then  answered  St  John,  and  confessed  that  he 
was  not  Christ. 

Now  here  is  to  be  noted  the  great  and  prudent  answer 
of  St  John  Baptist  unto  the  Pharisees,  that  when  they  re- 
quired of  him  who  he  was,  he  would  not  directly  answer  of 
himself  what  he  was  himself,  but  he  said  he  was  not  Christ : 
by  the  which  saying  he  thought  to  put  the  Jews  and  Pha- 
risees out  of  their  false  opinion  and  belief  towards  him,  in 
that  they  would  have  had  him  to  exercise  the  office  of  Christ : 
and  so  declared  further  unto  them  of  Christ,  saying,  "  He  is 
in  the  midst  of  you  and  amongst  you,  whom  ye  know  not, 
whose  latchet  of  his  shoe  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose,  or 
undo."      Bv  this  you  may  perceive  that  St  John  spake  much 

1—2 


4  SERMONS  [SERM. 

in  the  laud  and  praise  of  Christ  liis  Master,  professing  him- 
self to  he  in  no  wise  like  unto  him.  So  likewise  it  shall  be 
necessary  unto  all  men  and  women  of  this  world,  not  to 
ascribe  unto  themselves  any  goodness  of  themselves,  but  all 
unto  our  Lord  God,  as  shall  appear  hereafter,  when  this 
question  aforesaid,  "Who  art  thou?"  shall  be  moved  unto 
them  :  not  as  the  Pharisees  did  unto  St  John,  of  an  evil 
purpose,  but  of  a  good  and  simple  mind,  as  may  appear 
hereafter. 

Now  then,  according  to  the  preacher's  mind,  let  every 
man  and  woman,  of  a  good  and  simple  mind,  contrary  to  the 
Pharisees'  intent,  ask  this  question,  "Who  art  thou?"  This 
question  must  be  moved  to  themselves,  what  they  be  of  them- 
selves, on  this  fashion :  "  What  art  thou  of  thy  only  and 
natural  generation  between  father  and  mother,  when  thou 
earnest  into  this  world  ?  What  substance,  what  virtue,  what 
goodness  art  thou  of,  by  thyself?"  Which  question  if  thou 
rehearse  oftentimes  unto  thyself,  thou  shalt  well  perceive  and 
understand  how  thou  shalt  make  answer  unto  it ;  which  must 
be  made  on  this  wise :  I  am  of  myself,  and  by  myself,  coming 
from  my  natural  father  and  mother,  the  child  of  the  ire  and 
indignation  of  God,  the  true  inheritor  of  hell,  a  lump  of  sin, 
and  working  nothing  of  myself  but  all  towards  hell,  except 
I  have  better  help  of  another  than  I  have  of  myself.  Now 
we  may  see  in  what  state  we  enter  into  this  world,  that  we 
be  of  ourselves  the  true  and  just  inheritors  of  hell,  the  chil- 
dren of  the  ire  and  indignation  of  Christ,  working  all  towards 
hell,  whereby  we  deserve  of  ourselves  perpetual  damnation, 
by  the  right  judgment  of  God,  and  the  true  claim  of  our- 
selves ;  which  unthrifty  state  that  we  be  born  unto  is  come 
unto  us  for  our  own  deserts,  as  proveth  well  this  example 
following  : 

Let  it  be  admitted  for  the  probation  of  this,  that  it  might 
please  the  king's  grace  now  being  to  accept  into  his  favour 
a  mean  man,  of  a  simple  degree  and  birth,  not  born  to  any 
possession;  whom  the  king's  grace  favoureth,  not  because 
this  person  hath  of  himself  deserved  any  such  favour,  but 
that  the  king  casteth  this  favour  unto  him  of  his  own  mere 
motion  ami  fantasy:  and  for  because  the  king's  grace  will 
more  declare  his  favour  unto  him,  he  giveth  unto  this  said 
man   a   thousand  pounds  in  lands,  to  him  and  his  heirs,  on 


■■I 


ON     THE    CARD. 


this  condition,  that  he  shall  take  upon  him  to  be  the  chief 
captain  and  defender  of  his  town  of  Calais1,  and  to  be  true 
and  faithful  to  him  in  the  custody  of  the  same,  against  the 
Frenchmen  especially,  above  all  other  enemies. 

This  man  taketh  on  him  this  charge,  promising  his 
fidelity  thereunto.  It  chanceth  in  process  of  time,  that  by 
the  singular  acquaintance  and  frequent  familiarity  of  this 
captain  with  the  Frenchmen,  these  Frenchmen  give  unto  the 
said  captain. of  Calais  a  great  sum  of  money,  so  that  he  will 
but  be  content  and  agreeable  that  they  may  enter  into  the 
said  town  of  Calais  by  force  of  arms ;  and  so  thereby  possess 
the  same  unto  the  crown  of  France.  Upon  this  agreement 
the  Frenchmen  do  invade  the  said  town  of  Calais,  alonely  by 
the  negligence  of  this  captain. 

Now  the  king's  grace,  hearing  of  this  invasion,  cometh 
with  a  great  puissance  to  defend  this  his  said  town,  and  so 
by  good  policy  of  war  overcometh  the  said  Frenchmen,  and 
entereth  again  into  liis  said  town  of  Calais.  Then  he,  being- 
desirous  to  know  how  these  enemies  of  his  came  thither, 
maketh  profound  search  and  inquiry  by  whom  this  treason 
was  conspired.  By  this  search  it  was  known  and  found  his 
own  captain  to  be  the  very  author  and  the  beginner  of  the 
betraying  of  it.  The  king,  seeing  the  great  infidelity  of 
this  person,  dischargeth  this  man  of  his  office,  and  taketh 
from  him  and  from  his  heirs  this  thousand  pounds  of  pos- 
sessions. Think  you  not  that  the  king  doth  use  justice  unto 
him,  and  all  his  posterity  and  heirs?  Yes,  truly:  the  said 
captain  cannot  deny  himself  but  that  he  had  true  justice, 
considering  how  unfaithfully  he  behaved  him  to  Ins  prince, 
contrary  to  his  own  fidelity  and  promise.  So  likewise  it 
was  of  our  first  father  Adam.  He  had  given  unto  him  the 
spirit  of  science  and  knowledge,  to  work  all  goodness  there- 
with :  this  said  spirit  was  not  given  alonely  unto  him,  but 
unto  all  his  heirs  and  posterity.  He  had  also  delivered  him 
the  town  of  Calais,  that  is  to  say,  paradise  in  earth,  the  most 
strong  and  fairest  town  in  the  world,  to  be  in  his  custody. 
He  nevertheless,  by  the  instigation  of  these  Frenchmen,  that 

[l  It  will  be  remembered  that  tho  "town  of  Calais"  was  in  the 
possession  of  the  English  from  the  year  1346  until  1558,  and  the 
command  of  the  garrison  there  was  considered  a  trust  of  much  im- 
portance.] 


serTions 


[serai. 


is  to  say,  the  temptation  of  the  fiend,  did  obey  unto  their 
desire ;  and  so  he  brake  Ms  promise  and  fidelity,  the  com- 
mandment of  the  everlasting  King  his  master,  in  eating  of 
the  apple  by  him  inhibited. 

Now  then  the  King,  seeing  this  great  treason  in  his 
captain,  deposed  him  of  the  thousand  pounds  of  possessions, 
that  is  to  say,  from  everlasting  fife  in  glory,  and  all  his  heirs 
and  posterity:  for  likewise  as  he  had  the  spirit  of  science 
and  knowledge,  for  him  and  his  heirs;  so  in  like  manner, 
when  he  lost  the  same,  his  heirs  also  lost  it  by  him  and  in 
him.  So  now  this  example  proveth,  that  by  our  father 
Adam  we  had  once  in  him  the  very  inheritance  of  everlasting 
joy;   and  by  him,  and  in  him,  again  we  lost  the  same. 

The  heirs  of  the  captain  of  Calais  could  not  by  any 
manner  of  claim  ask  of  the  king  the  right  and  title  of  their 
father  in  the  thousand  pounds  of  possessions,  by  reason  the 
king  might  answer  and  say  unto  them,  that  although  their 
father  deserved,  not  of  himself  to  enjoy  so  great  possessions, 
yet  he  deserved  by  himself  to  lose  them,  and  greater, 
committing  so  high  treason,  as  he  did,  against  his  prince's 
commandments ;  whereby  he  had  no  wrong  to  lose  his  title, 
but  was  unworthy  to  have  the  same,  and  had  therein  true 
justice.  Let  not  you  think,  which  be  his  heirs,  that  if  he 
had  justice  to  lose  his  possessions,  you  have  wrong  to  lose 
the  same.  In  the  same  manner  it  may  be  answered  unto  all 
men  and  women  now  being,  that  if  our  father  Adam  had 
true  justice  to  be  excluded  from  his  possession  of  everlasting 
glory  in  paradise,  let  us  not  think  the  contrary  that  be  his 
heirs,  but  that  we  have  no  wrong  in  losing  also  the  same ; 
yea,  we  have  true  justice  and  right.  Then  in  what  miser- 
able estate  we  be,  that  of  the  right  and  just  title  of  our  own 
deserts  have  lost  the  everlasting  joy,  and  claim  of  ourselves 
to  be  true  inheritors  of  hell !  For  he  that  committeth  deadly 
sin  willingly,  bincleth  himself  to  be  inheritor  of  everlasting 
pain  :  and  so  did  our  forefather  Adam  willingly  eat  of  the 
apple  forbidden.  Wherefore  he  was  cast  out  of  the  ever- 
lasting joy  in  paradise  into  this  corrupt  world,  amongst  all 
vileness,  whereby  of  himself  he  was  not  worthy  to  do  any 
thing  laudable  or  pleasant  to  God,  evermore  bound  to  corrupt 
affections  and  beastly  appetites,  transformed  into  the  most 
uncleanest  and  variablest  nature  that  was  made  under  hea- 


!.]  ON    THE    CARD.  / 

ven;  of  whose  seed  and  disposition  all  the  world  is  lineally 
descended,  insomuch  that  this  evil  nature  is  so  fused  and 
shed  from  one  into  another,  that  at  this  day  there  is  no  man 
nor  woman  living,  that  can  of  themselves  wash  away  this 
abominable  vileness :  and  so  we  must  needs  grant  of  our- 
selves to  be  in  like  displeasure  unto  God,  as  our  forefather 
Adam  was.  By  reason  hereof,  as  I  said,  we  be  of  ourselves 
the  very  children  of  the  indignation  and  vengeance  of  God, 
the  true  inheritors  of  hell,  and  working  all  towards  hell: 
which  is  the  answer  to  this  question,  made  to  every  man 
and  woman,  by  themselves,   "Who  art  thou?" 

And  now,  the  world  standing  in  this  damnable  state, 
cometh  in  the  occasion  of  the  incarnation  of  Christ.  The 
Father  in  heaven,  perceiving  the  frail  nature  of  man,  that 
he,  by  himself  and  of  himself,  could  do  nothing  for  himself, 
by  his  prudent  wisdom  sent  down  the  second  person  in 
Trinity,  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  to  declare  unto  man  his 
pleasure  and  commandment :  and  so,  at  the  Father's  will, 
Christ  took  on  him  human  nature,  being  willing  to  deliver 
man  out  of  this  miserable  way,  and  was  content  to  suffer 
cruel  passion  in  shedding  his  blood  for  all  mankind;  and 
so  left  behind  for  our  safeguard  laws  and  ordinances,  to  keep 
us  always  in  the  right  path  unto  everlasting  life,  as  the 
evangelists,  the  sacraments,  the  commandments,  and  so  forth  : 
which  if  we  do  keep  and  observe  according  to  our  profession, 
we  shall  answer  better  unto  this  question,  "  Who  art  thou?" 
than  we  did  before.  For  before  thou  didst  enter  into  the 
sacrament  of  baptism,  thou  wert  but  a  natural  man,  a  natural 
woman ;  as  I  might  say,  a  man,  a  woman :  but  after  thou 
takest  on  thee  Christ's  religion,  thou  hast  a  longer  name; 
for  then  thou  art  a  christian  man,  a  christian  woman.  Now 
then,  seeing  thou  art  a  christian  man,  what  shall  be  thy 
answer  of  this  question,   "Who  art  thou?" 

The  answer  of  this  question  is,  when  I  ask  it  unto  my- 
self, I  must  say  that  I  am  a  christian  man,  a  christian 
woman,  the  child  of  everlasting  joy,  through  the  merits  of 
the  bitter  passion  of  Christ.  This  is  a  joyful  answer.  Here 
we  may  see  how  much  we  be  bound  and  in  clanger  unto 
God,  that  hath  revived  us  from  death  to  life,  and  saved  us 
that  were  damned:  which  great  benefit  we  cannot  well 
consider,  unless  we  do  remember  what  we  were  of  ourselves 


S  SERMONS  [SERM. 

before  we  meddled  with  him  or  his  laws;  and  the  more 
we  know  our  feeble  nature,  and  set  less  by  it,  the  more 
we  shall  conceive  and  know  in  our  hearts  what  God  hath 
done  for  us;  and  the  more  we  know  what  God  hath  done 
for  us,  the  less  we  shall  set  by  ourselves,  and  the  more  we 
shall  love  and  please  God :  so  that  in  no  condition  we  shall 
cither  know  ourselves  or  God,  except  we  do  utterly  confess 
ourselves  to  be  mere  vileness  and  corruption.  Well,  now 
it  is  come  unto  this  point,  that  we  be  christian  men,  christian 
women,  I  pray  you  what  doth  Christ  require  of  a  christian 
man,  or  of  a  christian  woman?  Christ  requireth  nothing- 
else  of  a  christian  man  or  woman,  but  that  they  will  observe 
his  rule :  for  likewise  as  he  is  a  good  Augustine  friar  that 
kecpcth  well  St.  Augustine's  rule,  so  is  he  a  good  christian 
man  that  keepeth  well  Christ's  rule. 

Now  then,  what  is  Christ's  rule?  Christ's  rule  con- 
sisteth  in  many  things,  as  in  the  commandments,  and  the 
works  of  mercy,  and  so  forth.  And  for  because  I  cannot 
declare  Christ's  rule  unto  you  at  one  time,  as  it  ought  to 
bo  done,  I  will  apply  myself  according  to  your  custom  at 
this  time  of  Christmas :  I  will,  as  I  said,  declare  unto  you 
Christ's  rule,  but  that  shall  be  in  Christ's  cards.  And 
whereas  you  are  wont  to  celebrate  Christmas  in  playing 
at  cards,  I  intend,  by  God's  grace,  to  deal  unto  you  Christ's 
cards,  wherein  you  shall  perceive  Christ's  rule.  The  game 
that  we  will  play  at  shall  be  called  the  triumph1,  which 
if  it  be  well  played  at,  he  that  dealeth  shall  win ;  the 
players  shall  likewise  win ;  and  the  standers  and  lookers 
upon  shall  do  the  same ;  insomuch  that  there  is  no  man 
that  is  willing  to  play  at  tins  triumph  with  these  cards, 
but  they  shall  be  all  winners,  and  no  losers. 

Let  therefore  every  christian  man  and  woman  play  at 
these  cards,  that  they  may  have  and  obtain  the  triumph: 
you  must  mark  also  that  the  triumph  must  apply  to  fetch 
home  unto  him  all  the  other  cards,   whatsoever   suit  they 

['  This  game  was  something  like  the  modern  game  of  Whist.  The 
ends,  however,  were  not  all  dealt  out;  and  the  dealer  had  an  ad- 
vantage in  being  allowed  to  reject  such  cards  from  his  hand  as  he 
thought  proper,  and  take  others  in  their  stead  from  the  undealt  stock. 
An  account  of  the  game  is  given  by  Singer,  "Researches  into  the 
History  of  Playing  Cards,  &c."  pp.  269,  270.] 


I.]  ON    THE    CARD.  .0 

be  of.  Now  then,  take  ye  this  first  card,  which  must  appear 
and  be  shewed  unto  you  as  followeth :  you  have  heard  what 
was  spoken  to  men  of  the  old  law,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill ; 
whosoever  shall  kill  shall  be  in  danger  of  judgment :  but 
I  say  unto  you"  of  the  new  law,  saith  Christ,  "  that  who- 
soever is  angry  with  his  neighbour,  shall  be  hi  danger  of 
judgment;  and  whosoever  shall  say  unto  his  neighbour, 
'  Raca,'  that  is  to  say,  brainless,"  or  any  other  like  word  of 
rebuking,  "  shall  be  in  danger  of  council ;  and  whosoever  shall 
say  unto  his  neighbour,  '  Fool,1  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell- 
fire."  This  card  was  made  and  spoken  by  Christ,  as  appear- 
eth  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  St  Matthew. 

Now  it  must  be  noted,  that  whosoever  shall  play  with 
this  card,  must  first,  before  they  play  with  it,  know  the 
strength  and  virtue  of  the  same :  wherefore  you  must  well 
note  and  mark  terms,  how  they  be  spoken,  and  to  what 
purpose.  Let  us  therefore  read  it  once  or  twice,  that  we 
may  be  the  better  acquainted  with  it. 

Now  behold  and  see,  this  card  is  divided  into  four  parts : 
the  first  part  is  one  of  the  commandments  that  was  given 
unto  Moses  in  the  old  law,  before  the  coming  of  Christ ; 
which  commandment  we  of  the  new  law  be  bound  to  observe 
and  keep,  and  it  is  one  of  our  commandments.  The  other 
three  parts  spoken  by  Christ  be  nothing  else  but  expositions 
unto  the  first  part  of  this  commandment :  for  in  very  effect 
all  these  four  parts  be  but  one  commandment,  that  is  to  say, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  kill."  Yet  nevertheless,  the  last  three  parts 
do  shew  unto  thee  how  many  ways  thou  mayest  kill  thy 
neighbour  contrary  to  this  commandment :  yet,  for  all  Christ's 
exposition  in  the  three  last  parts  of  this  card,  the  terms 
be  not  open  enough  to  thee  that  dost  read  and  hear  them 
spoken.  No  doubt,  the  Jews  understood  Christ  well  enough, 
when  he  spake  to  them  these  three  last  sentences ;  for  he 
spake  unto  them  in  their  own  natural  terms  and  tongue. 
Wherefore,  seeing  that  these  terms  were  natural  terms  of 
the  Jews,  it  shall  be  necessary  to  expound  them,  and  com- 
pare them  unto  some  like  terms  of  our  natural  speech,  that 
Ave  in  like  manner  may  understand  Christ  as  well  as  the 
Jews  did.  We  will  begin  first  with  the  first  part  of  this 
card,  and  then  after,  with  the  other  three  parts.  You  must 
therefore   understand   that  the  Jews  and  the   Pharisees   of 


10  SERMONS  [sERM. 

the  old  law,  to  whom  this  first  part,  this  commandment, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  was  spoken,  thought  it  sufficient  and 
enough  for  their  discharge,  not  to  lull  with  any  manner  of 
material  weapon,  as  sword,  dagger,  or  with  any  such  weapon ; 
and  they  thought  it  no  great  fault  whatsoever  they  said 
or  did  by  their  neighbours,  so  that  they  did  not  harm  or 
meddle  with  their  corporal  bodies :  which  was  a  false  opinion 
in  them,  as  prove  well  the  three  last  other  sentences  follow- 
ing the  first  part  of  this  card. 

Now,  as  touching  the  three  other  sentences,  you  must 
note  and  take  heed,  what  difference  is  between  these  three 
manner  of  offences :  to  be  angry  with  your  neighbour ; 
to  call  your  neighbour  "  brainless,"  or  any  such  word  of 
disdain ;  or  to  call  your  neighbour  "  fool."  Whether  these 
three  manner  of  offences  be  of  themselves  more  grievous 
one  than  the  other,  it  is  to  be  opened  unto  you.  Truly, 
as  they  be  of  themselves  divers  offences,  so  they  kill  diversly, 
one  more  than  the  other ;  as  you  shall  perceive  by  the  first 
of  these  three,  and  so  forth.  A  man  winch  conceiveth  against 
his  neighbour  or  brother  ire  or  wrath  in  his  mind,  by  some 
manner  of  occasion  given  unto  him,  although  he  be  angry 
in  his  mind  against  his  said  neighbour,  he  will  peradventure 
express  his  ire  by  no  manner  of  sign,  either  in  word  or 
deed :  yet  nevertheless  he  offendeth  against  God,  and  break- 
eth  this  commandment  in  killing  his  own  soul ;  and  is 
therefore   "in  danger  of  judgment." 

Now,  to  the  second  part  of  these  three  :  That  man  that 
is  moved  with  ire  against  his  neighbour,  and  in  his  ire  calleth 
his  neighbour  "  brainless,"  or  some  other  like  word  of  dis- 
pleasure ;  as  a  man  might  say  hi  a  fury,  "  I  shall  handle 
thee  well  enough ;"  which  words  and  countenances  do  more 
represent  and  declare  ire  to  be  in  this  man,  than  in  him 
that  was  but  angry,  and  spake  no  manner  of  word  nor 
shewed  any  countenance  to  declare  his  ire.  Wherefore  as 
he  that  so  declareth  his  ire  either  by  word  or  countenance, 
offendeth  more  against  God,  so  he  both  killeth  Ins  own  soul, 
and  doth  that  in  him  is  to  kill  his  neighbour's  soul  in 
moving  him  unto  ire,  wherein  he  is  faulty  himself;  and  so 
I  his  man  is  "in  danger  of  council." 

N"\\  t<.  the  third  offence,  and  hist  of  these  three:  That 
man  that  calleth  his    neighbour   -'fool,"   doth    more   declare 


I.]  ON     THE    CAKD.  1  I 

his  angry  mind  toward  him,  than  he  that  called  his  neigh- 
bour but  "  brainless,"  or  any  such  words  moving  ire :  for  to 
call  a  man  "  fool,"  that  word  representeth  more  envy  in  a 
man,  than  "brainless"  doth.  Wherefore  he  doth  most 
offend,  because  he  doth  most  earnestly  with  such  words 
express  his  ire,  and  so  he  is  "  in  danger  of  hell-fire." 

Wherefore  you  may  understand  now,  these  three  parts  of 
this  card  be  three  offences,  and  that  one  is  more  grievous  to 
God  than  the  other,  and  that  one  killeth  more  the  soul  of 
man  than  the  other. 

Now  peradventure  there  be  some  that  will  marvel,  that 
Christ  did  not  declare  this  commandment  by  some  greater 
faults  of  ire,  than  by  these  which  seem  but  small  faults,  as 
to  be  angry  and  speak  nothing  of  it,  to  declare  it  and  to 
call  a  man  "  brainless,"  and  to  call  his  neighbour  "  fool :" 
truly  these  be  the  smallest  and  the  least  faults  that  belong 
to  ire,  or  to  killing  in  ire.  Therefore  beware  how  you  offend 
in  any  kind  of  ire :  seeing  that  the  smallest  be  damnable  to 
offend  in,  see  that  you  offend  not  in  the  greatest.  For 
Christ  thought,  if  he  might  bring  you  from  the  smallest 
manner  of  faults,  and  give  you  warning  to  avoid  the  least, 
he  reckoned  you  would  not  offend  in  the  greatest  and  worst, 
as  to  call  your  neighbour  thief,  whoreson,  whore,  drab,  and 
so  forth,  into  more  blasphemous  names ;  which  offences  must 
needs  have  punishment  in  hell,  considering  how  that  Christ 
hath  appointed  these  three  small  faults  to  have  three  degrees 
of  punishment  in  hell,  as  appeareth  by  these  three  terms, 
judgment,  council,  and  hell-fire.  These  three  terms  do  signify 
nothing  else  but  three  divers  punishments  in  hell,  according 
to  the  offences.  Judgment  is  less  in  degree  than  council, 
therefore  it  signifieth  a  lesser  pain  in  hell,  and  it  is  ordained 
for  him  that  is  angry  in  his  mind  with  his  neighbour,  and 
doth  express  his  malice  neither  by  word  nor  countenance : 
council  is  a  less  degree  in  hell  than  hell-fire,  and  is  a  greater 
degree  in  hell  than  judgment;  and  it  is  ordained  for  him 
that  calleth  his  neighbour  "  brainless,"  or  any  such  word, 
that  declareth  his  ire  and  malice  :  wherefore  it  is  more  pain 
than  judgment.  Hell-fire  is  more  pain  in  hell,  than  council 
or  judgment,  and  it  is  ordained  for  him  that  calleth  his  neigh- 
bour "  fool,"  by  reason  that  in  calling  his  neighbour  "  fool," 
lie  declareth  more  his  malice,   in  that  it  is  an  earnest  word 


12  SERMONS  [SERAI. 

of  ire :  wherefore  hell-fire  is  appointed  for  it ;  that   is,   the 
most  pain  of  the  three  punishments. 

Now  you  have  heard,  that  to  these  divers  offences  of  ire 
and  killing  be  appointed  punishments  according  to  their 
degrees:  for  look  as  the  offence  is,  so  shall  the  pain  be: 
if  the  offence  be  great,  the  pain  shall  be  according ;  if  it  be 
less,  there  shall  be  less  pain  for  it,  I  would  not  now  that 
you  should  think,  because  that  here  are  but  three  degrees  of 
punishment  spoken  of,  that  there  be  no  more  in  hell.  No 
doubt  Christ  spake  of  no  more  here  but  of  these  three 
degrees  of  punishment,  thinking  they  were  sufficient,  enough 
for  example,  whereby  we  might  understand,  that  there  be  as 
divers  and  many  pains  as  there  be  offences :  and  so  by  these 
three  offences,  and  these  three  punishments,  all  other  offences 
and  punishments  may  be  compared  with  another.  Yet  I 
would  satisfy  your  minds  further  in  these  three  terms,  of 
•'judgment,  council,  and  hell-fire."  Whereas  you  might  say, 
What  was  the  cause  that  Christ  declared  more  the  pains  of 
hell  by  these  terms,  than  by  any  other  terms  ?  I  told  you 
afore  that  he  knew  well  to  whom  he  spake  them.  These  terms 
were  natural  and  well  known  amongst  the  Jews  and  the  Pha- 
risees :  wherefore  Christ  taught  them  with  their  own  terms, 
to  the  intent  they  might  understand  the  better  his  doctrine. 
And  these  terms  may  be  likened  unto  three  terms  which 
we  have  common  and  usual  amongst  us,  that  is  to  say,  the 
sessions  of  inquirance,  the  sessions  of  deliverance,  and  the 
execution-day.  Sessions  of  inquirance  is  like  unto  judgment; 
for  when  sessions  of  inquiry  is,  then  the  judges  cause  twelve 
men  to  give  verdict  of  the  felon's  crime,  whereby  he  shall  be 
judged  to  be  indicted :  sessions  of  deliverance  is  much  like 
council ;  for  at  sessions  of  deliverance  the  judges  go  among 
themselves  to  council,  to  determine  sentence  against  the  felon : 
execution-day  is  to  be  compared  unto  hell-fire ;  for  the  Jews 
had  amongst  themselves  a  place  of  execution,  named  "  hell- 
fire  :"  and  surely  when  a  man  goeth  to  his  death,  it  is  the 
greatest  pain  in  this  world.  Wherefore  you  may  see  that 
there  are  degrees  in  these  our  terms,  as  there  be  in  those 
terms. 

These  evil-disposed  affections  and  sensualities  in  us  are 
always  contrary  to  the  rule  of  our  salvation.  What  shall  we 
do  now  <»•  imagine,  to  thrust  down  these  Turks  and  to  subdue 


I.]  ON    THE    CARD.  1.'! 

them?  It  is  a  great  ignominy  and  shame  for  a  christian 
man  to  be  bond  and  subject  unto  a  Turk :  nay,  it  shall  not 
be  so ;  we  will  first  cast  a  trump  in  their  way,  and  play  with 
them  at  cards,  who  shall  have  the  better.  Let  us  play  there- 
fore on  this  fashion  with  this  card.  Whensoever  it  shall 
happen  the  foul  passions  and  Turks  to  rise  in  our  stomachs 
against  our  brother  or  neighbour,  either  for  unkind  words, 
injuries,  or  wrongs,  which  they  have  done  unto  us,  contrary 
unto  our  mind ;  straightways  let  us  call  unto  our  remembrance, 
and  speak  this  question  unto  ourselves,  "  Who  art  thou  ?" 
The  answer  is,  "  I  am  a  christian  man."  Then  further  wo 
must  say  to  ourselves,  "  What  requireth  Christ  of  a  christian 
man  ?"  Now  turn  up  your  trump,  your  heart  (hearts  is  Hearts 
trump,  as  I  said  before),  and  cast  your  trump,  your  heart,  on 
this  card;  and  upon  this  card  you  shall  learn  what  Christ 
requireth  of  a  christian  man, — not  to  be  angry,  ne  moved  to 
ire  against  his  neighbour,  in  mind,  countenance,  nor  other 
ways,  by  word  or  deed.  Then  take  up  this  card  with  your 
heart,  and  lay  them  together :  that  done,  you  have  won  the 
game  of  the  Turk,  whereby  you  have  defaced  and  overcome 
him  by  true  and  lawful  play.  But,  alas  for  pity !  the  Rhodes 
are  won1  and  overcome  by  these  false  Turks ;  the  strong 
castle  Faith  is  decayed,  so  that  I  fear  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  win  it  again. 

The  great  occasion  of  the  loss  of  this  Rhodes  is  by  reason 
that  christian  men  do  so  daily  kill  their  own  nation,  that  the 
very  true  number  of  Christianity  is  decayed ;  which  murder 
and  killing  one  of  another  is  increased  specially  two  ways, 
to  the  utter  undoing  of  Christendom,  that  is  to  say,  by  ex- 
ample and  silence.      By  example,  as  thus :  when  the  father,  two 

1  ill  tit       manner  of 

the  mother,  the  lord,  the  lady,  the  master,  the  dame,  be  killings. 
themselves  overcome  with  these  Turks,  they  be  continual 
swearers,  avouterers,  disposers  to  malice,  never  in  patience, 
and  so  forth  in  all  other  vices :  think  you  not,  when  the 
father,  the  mother,  the  master,  the  dame,  be  disposed  unto 
vice  or  impatience,  but  that  their  children  and  servants  shall 
incline  and  be  disposed  to  the  same  ?  No  doubt,  as  the  child 
shall  take  disposition  natural  of  the  father  and  mother,  so 


[l  Alluding  to  the  capture  of  the  Island  of  Rhodes  by  the  Turks. 
A.D.   1523.     Universal  History,  (Modern  part)  Vol.  xv.  pp.  300,  &c] 


14  SERMONS  [SERM. 

shall  tin*  servants  apply  unto  the  vices  of  their  masters  and 
dames:  if  the  heads  be  false  in  their  faculties  and  crafts,  it  is 
no  marvel  if  the  children,  servants  and  apprentices  do  joy 
therein.  This  is  a  great  and  shameful  manner  of  killing 
christian  men.  that  the  fathers,  the  mothers,  the  masters,  and 
the  dames,  shall  not  alonely  kill  themselves,  hut  all  theirs, 
and  all  that  belongeth  unto  them:  and  so  this  way  is  a  great 
number  of  christian  lineage  murdered  and  spoiled. 

The  second  manner  of  killing  is  silence.  By  silence  also 
is  a  great  number  of  christian  men  slain  ;  which  is  on  this 
fashion  :  although  that  the  father  and  mother,  master  and 
dame,  of  themselves  be  well  disposed  to  live  according  to  the 
law  of  God,  yet  they  may  kill  their  children  and  servants  in 
suffering  them  to  do  evil  before  their  own  faces,  and  do  not 
use  due  correction  according  unto  their  offences.  The  master 
seeth  his  servant  or  apprentice  take  more  of  his  neighbour 
than  the  king's  laws,  or  the  order  of  his  faculty,  doth  admit 
him ;  or  that  he  suffereth  him  to  take  more  of  his  neighbour 
than  he  himself  Avould  be  content  to  pay,  if  he  were  in  like 
condition :  thus  doing.  I  say,  such  men  kill  willingly  their 
children  and  servants,  and  shall  go  to  hell  for  so  doing ;  but 
also  their  fathers  and  mothers,  masters  and  dames,  shall  bear 
them  company  for  so  suffering  them. 

Wherefore  I  exhort  all  true  christian  men  and  women  to 
give  good  example  unto  your  children  and  servants,  and  suffer 
not  them  by  silence  to  offend.  Every  man  must  be  in  his 
own  house,  according  to  St.  Augustine's  mind1,  a  bishop,  not 
alonely  giving  good  ensample,  but  teaching  according  to  it. 
rebuking  and  punishing  vice ;  not  suffering  your  children  and 
servants  to  forget  the  laws  of  God.  You  ought  to  see  them 
have  their  belief,  to  know  the  commandments  of  God,  to  keep 
their  holy-days,  not  to  lose  their  time  in  idleness :  if  they  do 
so,  you  shall  all  suffer  pain  for  it,  if  God  be  true  of  his 
saying,  as  there  is  no  doubt  thereof.  And  so  you  may  per- 
ceive that  there  be  many  a  one  that  breaketh  this  card, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  and  playeth  therewith  oftentime  at 
the  blind  trump,  whereby  they  be  no  winners,  but  great 
losers.  But  who  be  those  now-a-days  that  can  clear  them- 
selves of  these  manifest  murders  used  to  their  children  and 

P  De  Civit.  Dei,  Lib.  i.  cap.  9.  Lib.  xix.  cap.  1J).    Opera,  Tom.  vn. 
col.  8.  420.     Edit.  Bened.  Antv.  1702.] 


I.]  ON     THK    CARD.  15 

servants?  L  think  not  the  contrary,  but  that  many  have 
these  two  ways  slain  their  own  children  unto  their  damna- 
tion ;  unless  the  great  mercy  of  God  were  ready  to  help 
them   when  they  repent  there-for. 

Wherefore,  considering  that  we  be  so  prone  and  ready  to 
continue  in  sin,  let  us  cast  down  ourselves  with  Mary  Magda- 
lene ;  and  the  more  we  bow  down  with  her  toward  Christ's 
feet,  the  more  we  shall  be  afraid  to  rise  again  in  sin ;  and 
the  more  we  know  and  submit  ourselves,  the  more  we  shall 
be  forgiven ;  and  the  less  we  know  and  submit  ourselves,  the 
less  we  shall  be  forgiven ;  as  appeareth  by  this  example 
following : 

Christ,  when  he  was  in  this  world  amongst  the  Jews  and 
Pharisees,  there  was  a  great  Pharisee  whose  name  was 
Simon :  ihis  Pharisee  desired  Christ  on  a  time  to  dine  with 
him,  thinking  in  himself  that  he  was  able  and  worthy  to  give 
Christ  a  dinner.  Christ  refused  not  his  dinner,  but  came 
unto  him.  In  time  of  their  dinner  it  chanced  there  came 
into  the  house  a  great  and  a  common  sinner  named  Mary 
Magdalene.  As  soon  as  she  perceived  Christ,  she  cast  herself 
down,  and  called  unto  her  remembrance  what  she  was  of 
herself,  and  how  greatly  she  had  offended  God ;  whereby  she 
conceived  in  Christ  great  love,  and  so  came  near  unto  him, 
and  washed  his  feet  with  bitter  tears,  and  shed  upon  his  head 
precious  ointment,  thinking  that  by  him  she  should  be  de- 
livered from  her  sins.  This  great  and  proud  Pharisee,  seeing 
that  Christ  did  accept  her  oblation  in  the  best  part,  had  great 
indignation  against  this  woman,  and  said  to  himself,  "  If  this 
man  Christ  were  a  holy  prophet,  as  he  is  taken  for,  he  would 
not  suffer  this  sinner  to  come  so  nigh  him."  Christ,  under- 
standing the  naughty  mind  of  this  Pharisee,  said  unto  him, 
"  Simon,  I  have  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee."  "  Say  what 
you  please,"  quod  the  Pharisee.  Then  said  Christ,  "  I  pray 
thee,  tell  me  this:  If  there  be  a  man  to  whom  is  owing  twen- 
ty pound  by  one,  and  forty  by  another,  this  man  to  whom 
this  money  is  owing,  perceiving  these  two  men  be  not  able 
to  pay  him,  he  forgiveth  them  both :  which  of  these  two 
debtors  ought  to  love  this  man  most?"  The  Pharisee  said, 
"  That  man  ought  to  love  him  best,  that  had  most  forgiven 
him."  "  Likewise,""  said  Christ,  "  it  is  by  this  woman :  she 
hath  loved  me  most,  therefore  most  is  forgiven  her ;  she  hath 


1  (,'  SERMONS    ON     THE    CARD.  [sERM.   I. 

known  her  sins  most,  whereby  she  hath  most  loved  me. 
And  thou  hast  least  loved  me,  because  thou  hast  least  known 
thy  sins:  therefore,  because  thou  hast  least  known  thine 
offences,  thou  art  least  forgiven."  So  this  proud  Pharisee 
had  an  answer  to  delay  his  pride.  And  think  you  not,  but 
that  there  be  amongst  us  a  great  number  of  these  proud 
Pharisees,  which  think  themselves  worthy  to  bid  Christ  to 
dinner ;  which  will  perk,  and  presume  to  sit  by  Christ  in  the 
church,  and  have  a  disdain  of  this  poor  woman  Magdalene, 
their  poor  neighbour,  with  a  high,  disdainous,  and  solemn 
countenance  ?  And  being  always  desirous  to  climb  highest  in 
the  church,  reckoning  themselves  more  worthy  to  sit  there 
than  another,  I  fear  me  poor  Magdalene  under  the  board,  and 
in  the  belfry,  hath  more  forgiven  of  Christ  than  they  have : 
for  it  is  like  that  those  Pharisees  do  less  know  themselves  and 
then*  offences,  whereby  they  less  love  God,  and  so  they  be 
less  forgiven. 

I  would  to  God  we  would  follow  this  example,  and  be 
like  unto  Magdalene.  I  doubt  not  but  we  be  all  Magdalenes 
in  falling  into  sin  and  in  offending :  but  we  be  not  again 
Magdalenes  in  knowing  ourselves,  and  in  rising  from  sin.  If 
we  be  the  true  Magdalenes,  we  should  be  as  willing  to  forsake 
our  sin  and  rise  from  sin,  as  we  were  willing  to  commit  sin 
and  to  continue  in  it ;  and  we  then  should  know  ourselves 
best,  and  make  more  perfect  answer  than  ever  we  did  unto 
this  question,  "  Who  art  thou  ?"  to  the  which  we  might  an- 
swer, that  we  be  true  christian  men  and  women :  and  then,  I 
say,  you  should  understand,  and  know  how  you  ought  to  play 
at  this  card,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  without  any  interruption 
of  your  deadly  enemies  the  Turks ;  and  so  triumph  at  the 
last,  by  winnino'  everlasting  life  in  glory.     Amen. 


ANOTHER  SERMON  OF   M.  LATIMER,  CONCERNING 
THE  SAME  MATTER. 


Now  you  have  heard  what  is  meant  by  this  first  card, 
and  how  you  ought  to  play  with  it,  I  purpose  again  to  deal 
unto  you  another  card,  almost  of  the  same  suit ;  for  they  be 
of  so  nigh  affinity,  that  one  cannot  be  well  played  without  the 
other.  The  first  card  declared,  that  you  should  not  kill, 
which  might  be  done  divers  ways ;  as  being  angry  with  your 
neighbour,  in  mind,  in  countenance,  in  word,  or  deed:  it 
declared  also,  how  you  should  subdue  the  passions  of  ire,  and 
so  clear  evermore  yourselves  from  them.  And  whereas  this 
first  card  doth  kill  in  you  these  stubborn  Turks  of  ire ;  this 
second  card  will  not  only  they  should  be  mortified  in  you, 
but  that  you  yourselves  shall  cause  them  to  be  likewise  mor- 
tified in  your  neighbour,  if  that  your  said  neighbour  hath 
been  through  your  occasion  moved  unto  ire,  either  in  coun- 
tenance, word,  or  deed.  Now  let  us  hear  therefore  the  tenor 
of  this  card :  "  When  thou  makest  thine  oblation  at  mine  [Matt.  v.  2.% 
altar,  and  there  dost  remember  that  thy  neighbour  hath 
any  thing  against  thee,  lay  down  there  thy  oblation,  and 
go  first  and  reconcile  thy  neighbour,  and  then  come  and 
offer  thy  oblation." 

This  card  was  spoken  by  Christ,  as  testifieth  St  Matthew 
in  his  fifth  chapter,  against  all  such  as  do  presume  to  come 
unto  the  church  to  make  oblation  unto  God  either  by  prayer, 
or  any  other  deed  of  charity,  not  having  their  neighbours 
reconciled.  Reconciling  is  as  much  to  say  as  to  restore 
thy  neighbour  imto  charity,  which  by  thy  words  or  deeds  is 
moved  against  thee :  then,  if  so  be  it  that  thou  hast  spoken 
to  or  by  thy  neighbour,  whereby  he  is  moved  to  ire  or  wrath, 
thou  must  lay  down  thy  oblation.  Oblations  be  prayers, 
alms-deeds,  or  any  work  of  charity :  these  be  all  called 
oblations  to  God.  Lay  down  therefore  thine  oblation  ;  begin 
to  do  none  of  these  foresaid  works  before  thou  goest  unto  thy 
neighbour,  and  confess  thy  fault  unto  him ;  declaring  thy 
mind,    that  if   thou  hast   offended  him,    thou   art    glad    and 

o 
[latimer.] 


18 


[SERM. 


willing  to  make  him  amends,  as  far  forth  as  thy  words  and 
substance  will  extend,  requiring  him  not  to  take  it  at  the 
worst :  thou  art  sorry  in  thy  mind,  that  thou  shouldest  be 
occasion  of  his  offending. 

-  What  manner  of  card  is  this?"  will  some  say:  "Why, 
what  have  I  to  do  with  my  neighbour's  or  brother's  malice?" 
As  Cain  said,  "Have  I  the  keeping  of  my  brother?  or  shall 
I  answer  for  him  and  for  his  faults?  This  were  no  reason — 
As  for  myself,  I  thank  God  I  owe  no  man  malice  nor  dis- 
pleasure:  if  others  owe  me  any,  at  their  own  peril  be  it. 
Let  every  man  answer  for  himself!"  Nay,  sir,  not  so,  as  you 
may  understand  by  this  card;  for  it  saith,  "  If  thy  neighbour 
hath  any  thing,  any  malice  against  thee,  through  thine  oc- 
casion, lay  even  down  (saith  Christ)  thine  oblation:  pray 
not  to  me ;  do  no  good  deeds  for  me ;  but  go  first  unto  thy 
neighbour,  and  bring  him  again  unto  my  flock,  which  hath 
forsaken  the  same  through  thy  naughty  words,  mocks,  scorns, 
or  disdainous  countenance,  and  so  forth ;  and  then  come  and 
offer  thine  oblation;  then  do  thy  devotion;  then  do  thy  alms- 
deeds  ;  then  pray,  if  thou  wilt  have  me  hear  thee." 

"  0  good  Lord !  this  is  a  hard  reckoning,  that  I  must  go 
and  seek  him  out  that  is  offended  with  me,  before  I  pray  or 
do  any  good  deed.  I  cannot  go  unto  him.  Peradventure 
he  is  a  hundred  miles  from  me,  beyond  the  seas ;  or  else  I 
cannot  tell  where  :  if  he  were  here  nigh,  I  would  with  all 
my  heart  go  unto  him."  This  is  a  lawful  excuse  before 
God  on  tliis  fashion,  that  thou  woiddest  hi  thy  heart  be  glad 
to  reconcile  thy  neighbour,  if  he  were  present ;  and  that  thou 
thinkest  in  thy  heart,  whensoever  thou  shalt  meet  with  liim, 
to  go  unto  him,  and  require  him  charitably  to  forgive  thee ; 
and  so  never  intend  to  come  from  him,  until  the  time  that 
you  both  depart  one  from  the  other  true  brethren  in  Christ. 

Yet,  peradventure,  there  be  some  in  the  world  that  be  so 
devilish  and  so  hard-hearted,  that  they  will  not  apply  in  any 
condition  unto  charity.  For  all  that,  do  what  lieth  in  thee, 
by  all  charitable  means  to  bring  him  to  unity.  If  he  will 
in  no  wise  apply  thereunto,  thou  mayest  be  sorrowful  in  thy 
heart,  that  by  thine  occasion  that  man  or  woman  continueth 
in  such  a  damnable  state.  This  notwithstanding,  if  thou  do 
the  best  that  lieth  in  thee  to  reconcile  him,  according  to  some 
doctors*   mind,   thou   art   discharged   towards   God.     Never- 


II.]  ON     THE    CARD.  19 

theless  St  Augustine1  doubteth  in  this  case,  whether  thy 
oblations,  prayers,  or  good  deeds,  shall  avail  thee  before 
God,  or  no,  until  thy  neighbour  come  again  to  good  state, 
whom  thou  hast  brought  out  of  the  way.  Doth  this  noble 
doctor  doubt  therein  ?  What  aileth  us  to  be  so  bold,  and 
count  it  but  a  small  fault,  or  none,  to  bring  our  neighbour  ~ 
out  of  patience  for  every  trifle  that  standeth  not  with  our 
mind  ?  You  may  see  what  a  grievous  thing  this  is,  to  bring 
another  man  out  of  patience,  that  peradventure  you  cannot 
bring  in  again  with  all  the  goods  that  you  have :  for  surely, 
after  the  opinion  of  great  wise  men,  friendship  once  broken 
will  be  never  well  made  whole  again.  Wherefore  you  shall 
hear  what  Christ  saith  unto  such  persons.  Saith  Christ, 
"  I  came  down  into  this  world,  and  so  took  on  me  bitter 
passion  for  man's  sake,  by  the  merits  whereof  I  intended 
to  make  unity  and  peace  in  mankind,  to  make  man  brother 
unto  me,  and  so  to  expel  the  dominion  of  Satan,  the  devil, 
which  worketh  nothing  else  but  dissension :  and  yet  now 
there  be  a  great  number  of  you,  that  have  professed  my 
name,  and  say  you  be  christian  men,  which  do  rebel  against 
my  purpose  and  mind.  I  go  about  to  make  my  fold :  you 
go  about  to  break  the  same,  and  kill  my  flock."  "  How 
darest  thou,"  saith  Christ,  "  presume  to  come  unto  my  altar, 
unto  my  church,  or  into  my  presence,  to  make  oblation  unto 
me,  that  takest  on  thee  to  spoil  my  lambs  ?  I  go  about  like 
a  good  shepherd  to  gather  them  together ;  and  thou  dost  the 
contrary,  evermore  ready  to  divide  and  lose  them.  Who  made 
thee  so  bold  to  meddle  with  my  silly  beasts,  which  I  bought 
so  dearly  with  my  precious  blood  ?  I  warn  thee  out  of  my 
sight,  come  not  in  my  presence :  I  refuse  thee  and  all  thy 
works,  except  thou  go  and  bring  home  again  my  lambs  which 
thou  hast  lost.  Wherefore,  if  thou  thyself  intend  to  be  one 
of  mine,  lay  even  down  by  and  by  thine  oblation,  and  come 
no  further  toward  mine  altar ;  but  go  and  seek  them  without 
any  questions,  as  it  becometh  a  true  and  faithful  servant." 

A  true  and  faithful  servant,  whensoever  his  master  com- 
mandeth  him  to  do  any  tiling,  he  maketh  no  stops  nor  ques- 
tions, but  goeth  forth  with  a  good  mind :  and  it  is  not  unlike 

[x    Sermo.  82,  De  Verbis  Evangel.    Matt,  xviii.    Opera,  Tom.  v. 
col.  308,  Edit.  Bened.  Antv.  1700.] 

[2  To  bring  another  man,  several  of  the  old  editions.] 

9 9 


20  SERMONS  [SERM. 

he,  continuing  in  such  a  good  mind  and  will,  shall  well  over- 
come all  dangers  and  stops,  whatsoever  betide  him  in  his 
journey,  and  bring  to  pass  effectually  his  master's  will  and 
pleasure.  On  the  contrary,  a  slothful  servant,  when  his 
master  commandeth  him  to  do  any  thing,  by  and  by  he  will 
ask  questions,  "Where?"  "When?"  "Winch  way?"  and  so 
forth;  and  so  he  putteth  every  tiling  in  doubt,  that  although 
both  his  errand  and  way  be  never  so  plain,  yet  by  his  unto- 
ward and  slothful  behaviour  his  master's  commandment  is  either 
undone  quite,  or  else  so  done  that  it  shall  stand  to  no  good 
purpose.  Go  now  forth  with  the  good  servant,  and  ask  no 
such  questions,  and  put  no  doubts.  Be  not  ashamed  to  do 
thy  Master's  and  Lord's  will  and  commandment.  Go,  as  I 
said,  imto  thy  neighbour  that  is  offended  by  thee,  and  re- 
concile him  (as  is  afore  said)  whom  thou  hast  lost  by  thy 
unkind  words,  by  thy  scorns,  mocks,  and  other  disdainous 
words  and  behaviours ;  and  be  not  nice  to  ask  of  him  the 
cause  why  he  is. displeased  with  thee:  require  of  lum  chari- 
tably to  remit ;  and  cease  not  till  you  both  depart,  one  from 
the  other,  true  brethren  in  Christ. 

Do  not,  like  the  slothful  servant,  thy  master's  message 
with  cautels  and  doubts :  come  not  to  thy  neighbour  whom 
thou  hast  offended,  and  give  him  a  pennyworth  of  ale,  or  a 
banquet,  and  so  make  him  a  fair  countenance,  thinking  that 
by  thy  drink  or  dinner  he  will  shew  thee  like  countenance. 
I  grant  you  may  both  laugh  and  make  good  cheer,  and  yet 
there  may  remain  a  bag  of  rusty  malice,  twenty  years  old, 
in  thy  neighbour's  bosom.  When  he  departcth  from  thee 
with  a  good  countenance,  thou  thinkest  all  is  well  then.  But 
now,  I  tell  thee,  it  is  worse  than  it  was,  for  by  such  cloaked 
charity,  where  thou  dost  offend  before  Christ  but  once,  thou 
hast  offended  twice  herein :  for  now  thou  goest  about  to  give 
Christ  a  mock,  if  he  would  take  it  of  thee.  Thou  thinkest 
to  blind  thy  master  Christ's  commandment.  Beware,  do  not 
so,  for  at  length  he  will  overmatch  thee,  and  take  thee  tardy 
whatsoever  thou  be ;  and  so,  as  I  said,  it  should  be  better 
for  thee  not  to  do  his  message  on  tins  fashion,  for  it  will 
stand  thee  in  no  purpose.  "  What  ?"  some  will  say,  "  I  am 
sure  he  loveth  me  well  enough  :  he  speaketh  fair  to  my  face." 
Yet  for  all  that  thou  mayest  be  deceived.  It  proveth  not 
true  love  in  a  man,  to  speak  fair.      If  he  love  thee  with  his 


II.]  ON     THE    CARD.  21 

mind  and  heart,  he  loveth  thee  with  his  eyes,  with  his 
tongue,  with  his  feet,  with  his  hands  and  his  body  ;  for  all 
these  parts  of  a  man's  body  be  obedient  to  the  will  and  mind, 
lie  loveth  thee  with  his  eyes,  that  looketh  cheerfully  on  thee, 
when  thou  meetest  with  him,  and  is  glad  to  see  thee  prosper 
and  do  well.  He  loveth  thee  with  his  tongue,  that  speaketh 
well  by  thee  behind  thy  back,  or  giveth  thee  good  counsel. 
He  loveth  thee  with  his  feet,  that  is  willing  to  go  to  help 
thee  out  of  trouble  and  business.  He  loveth  thee  with  his 
hands,  that  will  help  thee  in  time  of  necessity,  by  giving 
some  alms-deeds,  or  with  any  other  occupation  of  the  hand. 
He  loveth  thee  with  his  body,  that  will  labour  with  his  body, 
or  put  his  body  in  danger  to  do  good  for  thee,  or  to  deliver 
thee  from  adversity :  and  so  forth,  with  the  other  members 
of  his  body.  And  if  thy  neighbour  will  do  according  to  these 
sayings,  then  thou  mayest  think  that  he  loveth  thee  well ; 
and  thou,  in  like  wise,  oughtest  to  declare  and  open  thy 
love  unto  thy  neighbour  in  like  fashion,  or  else  you  be  bound 
one  to  reconcile  the  other,  till  this  perfect  love  be  engendered 
amongst  you. 

It  may  fortune  thou  wilt  say,  "  I  am  content  to  do  the 
best  for  my  neighbour  that  I  can,  saving  myself  harmless." 
I  promise  thee,  Christ  will  not  hear  this  excuse ;  for  he 
himself  suffered  harm  for  our  sakes,  and  for  our  salvation 
was  put  to  extreme  death.  I  wis,  if  it  had  pleased  him, 
he  might  have  saved  us  and  never  felt  pain ;  but  in  suffering 
pains  and  death  he  did  give  us  example,  and  teach  us  how 
we  should  do  one  for  another,  as  he  did  for  us  all ;  for, 
as  he  saith  himself,  "  he  that  will  be  mine,  let  him  deny 
himself,  and  follow  me,  in  bearing  my  cross  and  suffering 
my  pains.'1  Wherefore  we  must  needs  suffer  pain  with 
Christ  to  do  our  neighbour  good,  as  well  with  the  body 
and  all  his  members,  as  with  heart  and  mind. 

Now  I  trust  you  wot  what  your  card  meaneth :  let 
us  see  how  that  we  can  play  with  the  same.  Whensoever 
it  shall  happen  you  to  go  and  make  your  oblation  unto 
God,  ask  of  yourselves  tins  question,  "Who  art  thou?" 
The  answer,  as  you  know,  is,  "I  am  a  christian  man."  Then 
you  must  again  ask  unto  yourself,  What  Christ  requireth 
of  a  christian  man?  By  and  by  cast  down  your  trump, 
your   heart,    and   look   first   of  one   card,  then  of  another. 


22  SERMONS  [SERM. 

The  first  card  tcllcth  thee,  thou  shalt  not  kill,  thou  shalt 
not  be  angry,  thou  shalt  not  bo  out  of  patience.  This 
done,  thou  shalt  look  if  there  be  any  more  cards  to  take 
up;  and  if  thou  look  well,  thou  shalt  see  another  card  of 
the  same  suit,  wherein  thou  shalt  know  that  thou  art  bound 
to  reconcile  thy  neighbour.  Then  cast  thy  trump  upon  them 
both,  and  gather  them  all  three  together,  and  do  according 
to  the  virtue  of  thy  cards;  and  surely  thou  shalt  not  lose. 
Thou  shalt  first  kill  the  great  Turks,  and  discomfort  and 
thrust  them  down.  Thou  shalt  again  fetch  home  Christ's 
sheep  that  thou  hast  lost;  whereby  thou  mayest  go  both 
patiently  and  with  a  quiet  mind  unto  the  church,  and 
make  thy  oblation  unto  God;  and  then,  without  doubt,  he 
will  hear  thee. 

But  yet  Christ  will  not  accept  our  oblation  (although 
we  bo  in  patience,  and  have  reconciled  our  neighbour),  if 
that  our  oblation  be  made  of  another  man's  substance ;  but 
it  must  be  our  own.  See  therefore  that  thou  hast  gotten 
thy  goods  according  to  the  laws  of  God  and  of  thy  prince. 
For  if  thou  gettest  thy  goods  by  polling  and  extortion,  or 
by  any  other  unlawful  ways,  then,  if  thou  offer  a  thousand 
pound  of  it,  it  will  stand  thee  in  no  good  effect;  for  it  is 
not  thine.  In  this  point  a  great  number  of  executors  do 
offend ;  for  when  they  be  made  rich  by  other  men's  goods, 
then  they  will  take  upon  them  to  build  churches,  to  give 
ornaments  to  God  and  his  altar,  to  gild  saints,  and  to  do 
many  good  works  therewith ;  but  it  shall  be  all  in  their 
-own  name,  and  for  their  own  glory.  Wherefore,  saith 
Christ,  they  have  in  this  Avorld  their  reward;  and  so  their 
oblations  be  not  their  own,  nor  be  they  acceptable  before 
God. 

Another  way  God  will  refuse  thy  voluntary  oblation, 
as  thus :  if  so  be  it  that  thou  hast  gotten  never  so  truly 
thy  goods,  according  both  to  the  laws  of  God  and  man, 
and  hast  with  the  same  goods  not  relieved  thy  poor  neigh- 
bour, when  thou  hast  seen  him  hungry,  thirsty,  and  naked, 
he  will  not  take  thy  oblation  when  thou  shalt  offer  the  same, 
because  he  will  say  unto  thee,  "When  I  was  hungry,  thou 
gavest  me  no  meat ;  when  I  was  thirsty,  thou  gavest  no 
drink ;  and  when  I  was  naked,  thou  didst  not  clothe  me. 
^Vherefore   I  will  not  take  thy  oblation,  because  it  is  none 


II.] 


ON    THE    CAHD. 


of  thine.  I  left  it  thee  to  relieve  thy  poor  neighbours, 
and  thou  hast  not  therein  done  according  unto  this  my 
commandment,  Mlsericordiam  volo,  et  non  sacrijicium  ;  I 
had  rather  have  mercy  done,  than  sacrifice  or  oblation. 
Wherefore  until  thou  dost  the  one  more  than  the  other,  I 
will  not  accept  thine  oblation." 

Evermore  bestow  the  greatest  part  of  thy  goods  in 
works  of  mercy,  and  the  less  part  in  voluntary  works. 
Voluntary  works  be  called  all  manner  of  offering  in  the 
church,  except  your  four  offering-days1,  and  your  tithes : 
setting  up  candles,  gilding  and  painting,  building  of  churches, 
giving  of  ornaments,  going  on  pilgrimages,  making  of  high- 
ways, and  such  other,  be  called  voluntary  works ;  which 
works  be  of  themselves  marvellous  good,  and  convenient 
to  be  done.  Necessary  works,  and  works  of  mercy,  are 
called  the  commandments,  the  four  offering-days1,  your  tithes, 
and  such  other  that  belong  to  the  commandments ;  and 
works  of  mercy  consist  in  relieving  and  visiting  thy  poor 
neighbours.  Now  then,  if  men  be  so  foolish  of  themselves, 
that  they  will  bestow  the  most  part  of  their  goods  in 
voluntary  works,  which  they  be  not  bound  to  keep,  but 
willingly  and  by  their  devotion ;  and  leave  the  necessary 
works  undone,  which  they  are  bound  to  do ;  they  and  all 
their  voluntary  works  are  like  to  go  unto  everlasting  dam- 
nation. And  I  promise  you,  if  you  build  a  hundred 
churches,  give  as  much  as  you  can  make  to  gilding  of  saints, 
and  honouring  of  the  church ;  and  if  thou  go  as  many 
pilgrimages  as  thy  body  can  well  suffer,  and  offer  as  great 
candles  as  oaks ;  if  thou  leave  the  works  of  mercy  and 
the  commandments  undone,  these  works  shall  nothing  avail 
thee.  No  doubt  the  voluntary  works  be  good  and  ought 
to  be  done ;  but  yet  they  must  be  so  done,  that  by  their 
occasion  the  necessary  works  and  the  works  of  mercy  bo 
not  decayed  and  forgotten.  If  you  will  build  a  glorious 
church  unto  God,  see  first  yourselves  to  be  in  charity  with 

[!  The  usual  offering-days  were  at  Christmas,  Easter,  Whitsuntide, 
and  the  Feast  of  the  dedication  of  the  parish-church.  But  by 
injunctions  put  forth  by  Henry  VIII.  in  the  year  ]  538,  "  the  Feasts 
of  the  Nativity  of  our  Lord,  of  Easter-day,  of  the  Nativity  of  St  John 
the  Baptist,  and  of  St  Michael  the  Archangel,"  were  to  be  "taken  for 
the  four  general  offering-days."     Strype,  Annals,  Book  i.  ch.  xlii.] 


24  SERMONS    ON     THE    CARD.  [sERM.  II.] 

your  neighbours,  and  suffer  not  them  to  be  offended  by  your 
works.  Then,  when  ye  come  into  your  parish-church,  you 
bring  with  you  the  holy  temple  of  God;  as  St  Paul  saith, 
"You  yourselves  be  the  very  holy  temples  of  God:"  and  Christ 
[e«*.  saith  by  his  prophet,  "In  you  will  I  rest,  and  intend  to  make 
26,x27.]  my  mansion  and  abiding-place."  Again,  if  you  list  to  gild 
and  paint  Christ  in  your  churches,  and  honour  him  in 
vestments,  see  that  before  your  eyes  the  poor  people  die 
not  for  lack  of  meat,  drink,  and  clothing.  Then  do  you 
deck  the  very  true  temple  of  God,  and  honour  him  in  rich 
vestures  that  will  never  be  worn,  and  so  forth  use  yourselves 
according  unto  the  commandments :  and  then,  finally,  set  up 
your  candles,  and  they  will  report  what  a  glorious  light 
remaineth  in  your  hearts ;  for  it  is  not  fitting  to  see  a  dead 
man  light  candles.  Then,  I  say,  go  your  pilgrimages,  build 
your  material  churches,  do  all  your  voluntary  works ;  and 
they  will  then  represent  you  unto  God,  and  testify  with 
you,  that  you  have  provided  him  a  glorious  place  in  your 
hearts.  But  beware,  I  say  again,  that  you  do  not  run 
so  far  in  your  voluntary  works,  that  ye  do  quite  forget 
your  necessary  works  of  mercy,  which  you  are  bound  to 
keep :  you  must  have  ever  a  good  respect  unto  the  best 
and  worthiest  works  toward  God  to  be  done  first  and 
with  more  efficacy,  and  the  other  to  be  done  secondarily. 
Thus  if  you  do,  with  the  other  that  I  have  spoken  of 
before,  ye  may  come  according  to  the  tenor  of  your  cards, 
and  offer  your  oblations  and  prayers  to  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  will  both  hear  and  accept  them  to  your  ever- 
lasting joy  and  glory  :  to  the  which  ho  bring  us,  and  all 
those  whom  he  suffered  death  for.     Amen. 


A  SERMON  MADE  BY  M.  HUGH  LATIMER,  AT  THE  TIME  OF 

THE  INSURRECTION  IN  THE  NORTH1,  WHICH  WAS  IN 

THE  TWENTY-SEVENTH  YEAR  OF  THE  REIGN  OF 

KING  HENRY   THE  EIGHTH,   ANN.   DOM.   1535. 

UPON  THE  EPISTLE  READ  IN  THE  CHURCH 

THE   TWENTY-FIRST   SUNDAY  AFTER 

TRINITY  SUNDAY,   TAKEN  OUT 

OF  THE  SIXTH  CHAPTER 

OF    THE   EPISTLE  OF 

ST   PAUL  TO    THE 

EPHESIANS. 


H   Put  on  all  the  armour  of  God,  that  ye  may  stand,  Sjc. 
^Ephes.  vi.  10,  et  seq.] 

Saint  Paul,  the  holy  apostle,  writeth  this  epistle  unto 
the  Ephesians,  that  is,  to  the  people  of  the  city  of  Ephesus. 
He  writeth  generally,  to  them  all ;  and  in  the  former  chap- 
ters he  teacheth  them  severally  how  they  should  behave 
themselves,  in  every  estate,  one  to  another ;  how  they  should 
obey  their  rulers ;  how  wives  should  behave  themselves  to- 
wards their  husbands ;  children  towards  their  parents ;  and 
servants  towards  their  masters ;  and  husbands,  parents  and 
masters  should  behave  them,  and  love  their  wives,  children, 
and  servants ;  and  generally  each  to  love  other. 

Now  cometh  he  forth  and  comforteth  them,  and  teacheth 
them  to  be  bold,  and  to  play  the  men,  and  fight  manfully. 
For  they  must  fight  with  valiant  warriors,  as  appeareth 
afterward  in  the  text.  And  against  they  come  to  fight  he 
comforteth  them,  saying,  "  My  brethren.  "  He  calleth  them 
brethren ;  for  though  he  taught  them  before  to  be  subject  to 
kings  and  rulers,  and  to  be  obedient  to  their  superiors,  yet  he 
teacheth  them  that  in  Christ  we  be  all  brethren,  according  to 
the  saying  in  this  same  chapter,  "  God  is  no  accepter  of 
persons."  "  My  brethren,"  saith  he,  "  be  ye  comforted,  be 
ye  strong ;"  not  trusting  to  yourselves ;  no,  but  be  bold,  and 
comforted  "by  our  Lord,  and  by  the  power  of  his  virtue:"  not 

[!  This  was  the  insurrection  in  Yorkshire,  which  occurred  toward 
the  end  of  the  year  1536,  headed  by  Robert  Aske,  and  called  the 
"Pilgrimage  of  grace."     Carte,  Hist,  of  Eng.  Vol.  in.  pp.  139—141.] 


26  SERMON    ON    THE    EPISTLE    READ    ON    THE  [SERM. 

by  your  own  virtue,  for  it  is  not  of  power  to  resist  such 
assaults  as  he  speaketh  of  hereafter.  "  Put  on,  or  apparel 
you  with,  the  armour  of  God."  Armour  is  an  apparel  to 
clothe  a  man,  and  makcth  him  seemly  and  comely;  setteth 
forth  his  body,  and  makcth  him  strong  and  bold  in  battle. 
And  therefore'  Saint  Paul  cxhorteth  generally  his  brethren  to 
be  armed;  and  as  the  assaults  be  strong,  and  not  small,  so  he 
giveth  strong  armour,  and  not  small:  "Put  on,"  saith  he, 
"  the  armour  of  God."  He  speaketh  generally  of  armour, 
but  afterwards  he  speaketh  particularly  of  the  parts  of  ar- 
mour, where  he  saith.  be  armed  complete,  whole;  be  armed 
Dii  every  part  with  the  armour  of  God;  not  borrowed,  nor 
patched,  but  all  godly.  And  as  armour  setteth  forth  a  man's 
body,  so  this  godly  armour  maketh  us  seemly  in  the  sight  of 
God,  and  acceptable  in  his  wars. 

Bo  ye  therefore  "armed  at  all  points  with  the  armour  of 
God,  that  ye  may  stand  strongly  against  the  assaults  of  the 
devil."  "  That  ye  may  stand,"  saith  he.  Ye  must  stand  in 
this  battle,  and  not  sit,  nor  lie  along ;  for  he  that  lieth  is 
trodden  under  foot  of  his  enemy.  We  may  not  sit,  that  is, 
not  rest  in  sin,  or  lie  along  in  sluggishness  of  sin ;  but  con- 
tinually fight  against  our  enemy,  and  under  our  great  Captain 
and  Sovereign  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  his  quarrel,  armed 
with  the  armour  of  God,  that  we  may  be  strong.  We  cannot 
be  strong  unless  we  be  armed  of  God.  We  have  no  power  of 
ourselves  to  stand  against  the  assaults  of  the  devil.  There 
St  Paul  teacheth  what  our  battle  is,  and  Avherefore  we  must 
be  thus  armed. 

For,  saith  he,  "  we  have  not  wrestling  or  strife  against 
flesh  and  blood :"  which  may  be  understood,  against  certain 
sins,  which  come  of  the  flesh  only ;  but  let  us  take  it  as  it 
standeth,  "  against  flesh  and  blood,"  that  is.  against  any 
corporal  man,  which  is  but  a  weak  tiling  in  comparison,  and 
with  one  stroke  destroyed  or  slain:  but  we  have  to  do  with 
strong,  mighty  princes  and  potentates;  that  mighty  prince, 
that  great  conqueror  of  this  world,  the  devil,  yea  a  con- 
queror :  for  though  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  conquered  him 
and  all  his,  by  suffering  his  blessed  passion,  yet  is  he  a  great 
conqueror  in  this  world,  and  reigneth  over  a  great  multitude 
of  hi-  <»wn.  and  maketh  continual  conflicts  and  assaults  against 
the  rest,  to  subdue  them  also  under  his  power;  which,  if  they 


III.]  TWENTY-FIRST    SUNDAY    AFTER    TRINITY.  27 

be  armed  after  St  Paul's  teaching,  shall  stand  strongly  against 
his  assaults.  "  Our  battle,"  saith  St  Paul,  "  is  against  princes, 
potestates,"  that  is,  against  devils :  for,  after  the  common 
opinion,  there  fell  from  heaven  of  every  order  of  angels,  as  of 
potentates.  He  saith  also,  "  against  worldly  rulers  of  these 
darknesses  :"  for,  as  doctors1  do  write,  the  spirits  that  fell 
with  Lucifer  have  their  being  in  aere  caliginoso,  the  air,  in 
darkness,  and  the  rulers  of  this  world,  by  God's  sufferance,  to 
hurt,  vex  and  assault  them  that  live  upon  the  earth.  For 
their  nature  is,  as  they  be  damned,  to  desire  to  draw  all 
mankind  unto  like  damnation ;  such  is  their  malice.  And 
though  they  hang  in  the  air,  or  fall  in  a  garden  or  other 
pleasant  place,  yet  have  they  continually  their  pain  upon 
their  backs.  Against  these  we  wrestle,  and  "  against  spiritual 
wickedness  in  coslestibus,"  that  is,  in  the  air ;  or  we  fight 
against  spiritual  wickedness  in  heavenly  things. 

Think  you  not  that  this  our  enemy,  this  prince  with  all 
his  potentates,  hath  great  and  sore  assaults  to  lay  against  our 
armour?  Yea,  he  is  a  crafty  warrior,  and  also  of  great 
power  in  this  world ;  he  hath  great  ordnance  and  artillery  ; 
he  hath  great  pieces  of  ordnance,  as  mighty  kings  and  em- 
perors, to  shoot  against  God's  people,  to  persecute  or  kill 
them ;  Nero,  the  great  tyrant,  who  slew  Paul,  and  divers 
other.  Yea,  what  great  pieces  hath  he  had  of  bishops  of 
Rome,  which  have  destroyed  whole  cities  and  countries,  and 
have  slain  and  burnt  many !  What  great  guns  were 
those ! 

Yea,  he  hath  also  less  ordnance  evil  enough,  (they  may 
be  called  serpentines2 ;)  some  bishops  in  divers  countries,  and 
here  in  England,  which  he  hath  shot  at  some  good  christian 
men,  that  they  have  been  blown  to  ashes.  So  can  this  great 
captain,  the  devil,  shoot  his  ordnance.  He  hath  yet  less  ord- 
nance, for  he  hath  of  all  sorts  to  shoot  at  good  christian 
men ;  he  hath  hand-guns  and  bows,  which  do  much  hurt,  but 
not  so  much  as  the  great  ordnance.      These  be  accusers,  pro- 

\}  See  Petri  Lombard.  Sentent.  Lib.  u.  Distinct,  vi.  and  the 
commentators  on  that  Master.  Also,  "Sermones  super  Epistolis  Do- 
minicalibus,  &c,  collecti  ex  Sermonibus  Wilhelm.  Lugduncns, — alio- 
rumque  doctorum  catholicorum,  &c."   Semi,  xlviii.     Argent.  1489.] 

[2  A  serpentine  was  a  small  piece  of  artillery,  which  carried  a 
ball  of  about  fib.  weight.] 


'2S  SERMON     ON    THE    EPISTLE    REAO    ON    THE  [sERM. 

moters  and  slanderers ;  they  be  evil  ordnance,  shrewd  hand- 
guns and  bows  ;  they  put  a  man  to  great  displeasure  ;  often- 
times death  comcth  upon  that  shot.  For  these  things,  saith 
the  text,  "take  the  armour  of  God."  Against  the  great 
captains,  the  devils,  and  against  their  artillery,  their  minis- 
ters, there  can  nothing  defend  us  but  the  armour  of  God. 

"  Take  therefore  this  armour,"  saith  the  text,  "  that  ye 
may  resist  in  the  evil  day,  and  in  all  things  stand  perfectly, 
or  be  perfectly  strong."  This  evil  day  is  not  so  called  here, 
because  any  day  or  time  is  evil;  for  God  made  every  day 
good,  and  all  days  be  good:  but  St  Paul  calleth  it  the  "evil 
day,"  because  of  the  misfortune  that  chanceth  or  cometh  in 
that  day.  As  we  have  a  common  saying,  "  I  have  had  an 
evil  day,  and  an  evil  night,"  because  of  the  heaviness  or  evil 
that  hath  happened ;  so  saith  Paul,  "  that  ye  may  resist  in 
the  evil  day  :"  that  is,  when  your  great  adversary  hath  com- 
passed you  round  about  with  his  potestates  and  rulers,  and 
with  his  artillery,  so  that  you  be  almost  overcome,  then,  if 
you  have  the  armour  of  God,  you  shall  be  strong,  and  need 
not  to  fear  his  assaults. 

St  Paul  hath  spoken  of  this  armour  of  God  generally, 
and  now  declareth  the  parts  and  pieces  of  armour  ;  and  teach- 
eth  them  how  to  apparel  every  part  of  the  body  with  tins 
armour.  He  beginneth  yet  again,  saying,  "Be  strong,  having 
your  reins,  or  ^our  loins  girded  about."  Some  men  of  war 
use  to  have  about  their  loins  an  apron  or  girdle  of  mail,  gird 
fast  for  the  safeguard  of  the  nether  part  of  their  body.  So 
St  Paul  would  we  should  gird  our  loins,  which  betokencth 
lechery  or  other  sinfulness,  with  a  girdle,  which  is  to  be 
taken  for  a  restraint  or  continence  from  such  vices.  In 
"  truth,"  or  "  truly  gird :"  it  may  not  be  feigned,  or  falsely 
girt,  but  in  verity  and  truth.  There  be  many  bachelors,  as 
yet  men  unmarried,  which  seem  to  be  girt  with  the  girdle  of 
continence,  and  yet  it  is  not  in  truth,  it  is  but  feignedly. 
And  some  religious  persons  make  a  profession  of  continence 
or  chastity,  and  yet  not  in  truth,  their  hearts  be  not  truly 
chaste.  Such  feigned  girding  of  the  loins  cannot  make  a 
man  strong  to  resist  the  assaults  of  the  great  captain  or 
enemy  in  the  evil  day.  Yet  some  get  them  girdles  with 
great  knots,  as  though  they  would  be  surely  girt,  and  as 
though  they  would  break  the  devil's  head  with  their  knotted 


III.]  TWENTY-FIRST    SUNDAY    AFTER    TRINITY.  '29 

girdles.  Nay,  he  will  not  be  so  overcome :  it  is  no  knot  of  an 
herapton  girdle  that  he  feareth ;  that  is  no  piece  of  harness 
of  the  armour  of  God,  winch  may  resist  the  assault  in  the 
evil  day ;  it  is  but  feigned  gear ;  it  must  be  in  the  heart,  &c. 

"  And  be  ye  apparelled  or  clothed,"  saith  Paul,  "  with 
the  habergeon  or  coat-armour  of  justice,  that  is,  righteous- 
ness." Let  your  body  be  clothed  in  the  armour  of  right- 
eousness :  ye  may  do  no  wrong  to  any  man,  but  live  in  right- 
eousness ;  not  clothed  with  any  false  quarrel  or  privy  grudge. 
Ye  must  live  rightly  in  God's  law,  following  his  command- 
ments and  doctrine,  clothed  righteously  in  his  armour,  and 
not  in  any  feigned  armour,  as  in  a  friar's  coat  or  cowl.  For 
the  assaults  of  the  devil  be  crafty:  to  make  us  put  our  trust 
in  such  armour,  he  will  feign  himself  to  fly ;  but  then  we  be 
most  in  jeopardy  :  for  he  can  give  us  an  after-clap  when  we 
least  ween ;  that  is,  suddenly  return  unawares  to  us,  and 
then  he  giveth  us  an  after-clap  that  overthroweth  us :  this 
armour  deceiveth  us. 

In  like  manner  these  men  in  the  North  country,  they 
make  pretence  as  though  they  were  armed  in  God's  armour, 
gird  in  truth,  and  clothed  in  righteousness.  I  hear  say  they 
wear  the  cross1  and  the  wounds  before  and  behind,  and  they 
pretend  much  truth  to  the  king's  grace  and  to  the  common- 
wealth, when  they  intend  nothing  less ;  and  deceive  the  poor 
ignorant  people,  and  bring  them  to  fight  against  both  the 
king,  the  church,  and  the  commonwealth. 

They  arm  them  with  the  sign  of  the  cross  and  of  the 
wounds,  and  go  clean  contrary  to  him  that  bare  the  cross, 
and  suffered  those  wounds.  They  rise  with  the  king,  and 
fight  against  the  king  in  his  ministers  and  officers ;  they  rise 
with  the  church,  and  fight  against  the  church,  which  is  the 
congregation  of  faithful  men  ;  they  rise  for  the  commonwealth, 
and  fight  against  it,  and  go  about  to  make  the  commons 
each  to  kill  other,  and  to  destroy  the  commonwealth.  Lo, 
what  false  pretence  can  the  devil  send  amongst  us  I  It  is  one 

[i  "  Every  one  wore  on  his  sleeve,  as  the  badge  of  the  party,  an 
emblem  with  the  five  wounds  of  Christ,  with  the  name  of  Jesus 
wrought  in  the  middle.  They  all  protested  upon  oath,  that  they 
engaged  in  this  undertaking  for  the  love  of  God,  the  preservation 
of  the  king's  person  and  issue,  &c."  Carte,  Gen.  Hist,  of  England, 
Vol.  in.  p.  140.] 


.30  SERMON     ON    THE    EPISTLE    READ    ON    THE  [sERM. 

of  his  most  crafty  and  subtle  assaults,  to  send  his  warriors 
forth  under  the  badge  of  God,  as  though  they  were  armed 
in  righteousness  and  justice. 

But  if  we  will  resist  strongly  indeed,  we  must  be  clothed 
(i)'  armed  with  the  habergeon  of  very  justice  or  righteous- 
ness ;  in  true  obedience  to  our  prince,  and  faithful  love  to  our 
neighbours ;  and  take  no  false  quarrels  in  hand,  nor  any 
feigned  armour ;  but  in  justice,  "  having  your  feet  shod  for 
[the]  preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace." 

Lo,  what  manner  of  battle  this  warrior  St  Paul  teacheth 
us,  "  to  be  shod  on  our  feet,"  that  we  may  go  readily  and 
prepare  way  for  the  gospel ;  yea,  the  gospel  of  peace,  not 
of  rebellion,  not  of  insurrection :  no,  it  teacheth  obedience, 
humility,  and  quietness ;  it  maketh  peace  in  the  conscience, 
and  teacheth  true  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  walk  in 
God's  laws  armed  with  God's  armour,  as  Paul  teacheth  here. 
Yea,  if  bishops  in  England  had  been  "  shod  for  the  pre- 
paration of  this  gospel,"  and  had  endeavoured  themselves 
to  teach  and  set  [it]  forth,  as  our  most  noble  prince  hath 
devised;  and  if  certain  gentlemen,  being  justices,  had  executed 
his  grace's  commandment,  in  setting  forth  this  gospel  of 
peace,  this  disturbance  among  the  people  had  not  happened. 

But  ye  say,  it  is  new  learning1.  Now  I  tell  you  it  is 
the  old  learning.  Yea,  ye  say,  it  is  old  heresy  new  scoured. 
Nay,  I  tell  you  it  is  old  truth,  long  rusted  with  your  canker, 
and  now  new  made  bright  and  scoured.  What  a  rusty 
truth  is  this,  Quodcumque  ligaveris,  "Whatsoever  thou 
bindest,"  &c.  This  is  a  truth  spoken  to  the  apostles,  and 
all  true  preachers  their  successors,  that  with  the  law  of  God 
they  should  bind  and  condemn  all  that  sinned ;  and  who- 
soever did  repent,  they  should  declare  him  loosed  and 
forgiven,  by  believing  in  the  blood  of  Christ.  But  how 
hath  this  truth  over-rusted  with  the  pope's  rust?  For  he, 
by  this  text,  "Whatsoever  thou  bindeth,"  hath  taken  upon 
him  to  make  what  laws  him  listed,  clean  contrary  unto 
God's  word,  which  willeth  that  every  man  should  obey  the 

[l  A  reproachful  term,  which  papists  then  applied  to  the  doctrines 
taught  at  the  Reformation.  See  Becon,  Early  Writings,  p.  439. 
But  the  same  term  was  used  at  an  earlier  period,  to  stigmatise  that 
cultivation  of  classical  literature  which  led  to  the  neglect  of  the  writings 
of  the  Schoolmen.] 


III.]  TWENTY-FIRST    SUNDAY    AFTER    TRINITY.  8  I 

prince's  law  :  and  by  tins  text,  "  Whatsoever  thou  loosest," 
he  hath  made  all  people  believe  that,  for  money,  he  might 
forgive  what  and  whom  he  lusted ;  so  that  if  any  man 
had  robbed  his  master,  or  taken  any  thing  wrongfully,  the 
pope  would  loose  him,  by  this  pardon  or  that  pardon,  given 
to  these  friars  or  those  friars,  put  in  tins  box  or  that  box. 
And,  as  it  were,  by  these  means  a  dividend  of  the  spoil 
was  made,  so  that  it  was  not  restored,  nor  the  person  rightly 
discharged ;  and  yet  most  part  of  the  spoil  came  to  the 
hands  of  him  and  his  ministers.  What  is  this  but  a  new 
learning ;  a  new  canker  to  rust  and  corrupt  the  old  truth '? 
Ye  call  your  learning  old :  it  may  indeed  be  called  old,  for  it 
cometh  of  that  serpent  winch  did  pervert  God's  command- 
ment and  beguiled  Eve ;  so  it  is  an  old  custom  to  pervert 
God's  word,  and  to  rust  it,  and  corrupt  it. 

We  be  a  great  many  that  profess  to  be  true  ministers 
of  the  gospel;  but  at  the  trial  I  think  it  will  come  to  pass 
as  it  did  with  Gideon,  a  duke,  which  God  raised  up  to 
deliver  the  children  of  Israel  from  the  Midianites,  in  whose 
hands  they  were  fallen,  because  they  had  broken  God's 
commandment,  and  displeased  God :  yet  at  the  length  he 
had  compassion  on  them,  and  raised  up  Gideon  to  deliver 
them.  When  they  heard  that  they  had  a  captain,  or  a 
duke,  that  should  deliver  them,  they  assembled  a  great 
number,  about  thirty  thousand :  but  when  it  came  to  pass 
that  they  should  fight,  they  departed  all  save  five  hundred.2  [JudKvii-3-] 
So,  I  fear  me,  that  at  the  trial  we  shall  be  found  but  a 
few  ministers  of  the  true  gospel  of  peace,  and  armed  in  the 
true  armour  of  God. 

It  followeth,  "  And  in  all  tilings  take  the  shield  or 
buckler  of  faith."  The  buckler  is  a  thing  wherewith  a  man 
most  chiefly  defendeth  himself:  and  that  must  be  perfect 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  in  our  Captain,  and  in  his  word.  It 
must  also  be  a  true  faith,  it  is  else  no  part  of  the  armour 
of  God :  it  may  not  be  feigned,  but  a  buckler,  which  may 
stop  or  quench  the  violence  of  the  flaming  darts  of  the  most 
wicked. 

"  Take  also  the  helmet  or  head-piece  of  health,"  or 
true  health  in  Jesus  Christ ;  for  there  is  no  health  in  any 

[2  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  observe  that  there  is  a  slight  inac- 
curacy in  this  account  of  Gideon's  followers.] 


32  SERMON     ON     THE     EPISTLE,     &C  [sERM.  III.] 

other  name:  not  the  health  of  a  grey  friar's  coat,  or  the 
health  of  this  pardon  or  that  pardon;  that  were  a  false 
helmet,  and  should  not  defend  the  violence  of  the  wicked. 

"And  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  winch  is  the  word  of 
God."  Lo,  St  Paul  teacheth  you  battle;  to  take  in  your 
left  hand  the  shield  of  faith,  to  defend  and  bear  off  the 
darts  of  the  devil,  and  in  the  other  hand  a  sword  to 
strike  with  against  the  enemy :  for  a  good  man  of  war 
may  not  stand  against,  and  defend  only,  but  also  strike 
against  Ins  enemy.  So  St  Paul  giveth  us  here  a  sword, 
"  The  word  of  God."  For  tins  sword  is  it  that  beateth 
this  great  captain,  our  enemy.  Christ  himself  gave  us 
ensample  to  fight  with  this  sword;  for  he  answered  the 
devil  with  the  scripture,  and  said,  "  It  is  written."  With 
this  sword  he  drave  away  the  devil :  and  so  let  us  break 
his  head  with  this  sword,  the  true  word  of  God,  and  not 
with  any  word  of  the  bishop  of  Pome's  making ;  not  with 
his  old  learning,  nor  his  new  learning,  but  with  the  pure 
word   of    God. 

The  time  passeth :  I  will  therefore  make  an  end.  Let 
us  fight  manfully,  and  not  cease ;  for  no  man  is  crowned 
or  rewarded  but  in  the  end.  We  must  therefore  fight  con- 
tinually, and  with  this  sword ;  and  thus  armed,  and  we  shall 
receive  the  reward  of  victory.  And  thus  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  all  your  spirits.     Amen. 


THE  SERMON  THAT  THE  REVEREND  FATHER  IN  CHRIST, 

M.  HUGH  LATIMER,  BISHOP  OF  WORCESTER,  MADE  TO 

THE  CONVOCATION1  OF  THE  CLERGY,  BEFORE  THE 

PARLIAMENT  BEGAN,  THE  9  DAY  OF  JUNE,  THE 

28  YEAR  OF  THE  REIGN  OF  OUR  LATE  KING 

HENRY  THE  8.  TRANSLATED  OUT  OF  LATIN 

INTO  ENGLISH,   TO   THE   INTENT  THAT 

THINGS  WELL  SAID  TO  A  FEW  MAY 

BE   UNDERSTOOD  OF  MANY,  AND 

DO  GOOD  TO  ALL  THEM  THAT 

DESIRE    TO    UNDERSTAND 

THE   TRUTH. 


Filii  Tiujus  seculi,  fyc. — Luc.  xvi. 

Brethren,  ye  be  come  together  this  day,  as  far  as  I 
perceive,  to  hear  of  great  and  weighty  matters.  Ye  be 
come  together  to  entreat  of  things  that  most  appertain  to 
the  commonwealth.  This  being  thus,  ye  look,  I  am  assured, 
to  hear  of  me,  which  am  commanded  to  make  as  a  preface 
this  exhortation,  (albeit  I  am  unlearned  and  far  unworthy,) 
such  things  as  shall  be  much  meet  for  this  your  assembly. 
I  therefore,  not  only  very  desirous  to  obey  the  command- 
ment of  our  Primate,  but  also  right  greatly  coveting  to  serve 
and  satisfy  all  your  expectation ;  lo,  briefly,  and  as  plainly 
as  I  can,  will  speak  of  matters  both  worthy  to  be  heard 
in  your  congregation,  and  also  of  such  as  best  shall  become 
mine  office  in  this  place.  That  I  may  do  this  the  more 
commodiously,  I  have  taken  that  notable  sentence  in  which 
our  Lord  was  not  afraid  to  pronounce  "  the  children  of 
this  world  to  be  much  more  prudent  and  politic  than  the 
children  of  light  in  their  generation."  Neither  will  I  be 
afraid,  trusting  that  he  will  aid  and  guide  me  to  use  this 
sentence,  as  a  good  ground  and  foimdation  of  all  such  things  a  good 
as  hereafter  I  shall  speak  of.  fur" "ound- 


alniii. 


\}  In  this  Convocation  grievous  complaints  were  made  against 
the  teaching  of  "erroneous  opinions,"  then  so  called.  The  most 
important  decisions  of  the  Convocation  were  "The  judgment  con- 
cerning General  Councils,"  and  "The  Articles  about  Religion." 
Wilkins,  in.  804,  ct  seq.] 

r  i  3 

[LATIMER.] 


34  SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE    THE  [sERM. 

Now,  I  suppose  that  you  see  right  well,  being  men  of 
The  learned    such  learning,  for  what  purpose  the  Lord  said  this,  and  that 

number  hath  -,,11  •   i  n  i    1 

least  need  of  ye  have  no  need  to  be  holpen  with  any  part  ot  my  labour 

expositions,     t/  -hit        »ii 

in  this  thing.  But  yet,  if  ye  will  pardon  me,  I  will  wade 
somewhat  deeper  in  this  matter,  and  as  nigh  as  I  can,  fetch 
it  from  the  first  original  beginning.  For  undoubtedly,  ye 
may  much  marvel  at  this  saying,  if  ye  well  ponder  both 
what  is  said,  and  who  saith  it.  Define  me  first  these  three 
things  :  what  prudence  is  ;  what  the  world ;  what  light ;  and 
who  be  the  children  of  the  world ;  who  of  the  light :  see 
what  they  signify  in  scripture.  I  marvel  if  by  and  by 
ye  all  agree,  that  the  children  of  the  world  should  be 
wiser  than  the  children  of  the  light.  To  come  somewhat 
nigher  the  matter,  thus  the  Lord  beginneth : 

Luke  xvi.  There  was  a  certain  rich  man  that  had  a  steward,  ivhich 
was  accused  unto  him  that  he  had  dissipated  and 
ivasted  his  -  goods.  This  rich  man  called  his  steward 
to  him  and  said,  What  is  this  that  I  hear  of  thee? 
Come,  make  me  an  account  of  thy  stewardship;  thou 
mayest  no  longer  bear  this  office. 

Brethren,  because  these  words  are  so  spoken  in  a 
parable,  and  are  so  wrapped  in  wrinkles,  that  yet  they 
seem  to  have  a  face  and  a  similitude  of  a  thing  done  indeed, 
and  like  an  history,  I  think  it  much  profitable  to  tarry  some- 
what in  them.  And  though  we  may  perchance  find  in 
our  hearts  to  believe  all  that  is  there  spoken  to  be  true ; 
yet  I  doubt  whether  we  may  abide  it,  that  these  words 
of  Christ  do  pertain  unto  us,  and  admonish  us  of  our  duty, 
which  do  and  live  after  such  sort,  as  though  Christ,  when 
he  spake  any  thing,  had,  as  the  time  served  him,  served 
his  turn,  and  not  regarded  the  time  that  came  after  him, 
neither  provided  for  us,  or  any  matters  of  ours  ;  as  some 
uSewaiker  °^  ^ie  philosophers  thought,  which  said,  that  God  walked 
up  and  down  in  heaven,  and  thinketh  never  a  deal  of 
our  affairs.  But,  my  good  brethren,  err  not  you  so  ;  stick 
not  you  to  such  your  imaginations.  For  if  ye  inwardly 
behold  these  Avords,  if  ye  diligently  roll  them  in  your  minds, 
and  after  explicate  and  open  them,  ye  shall  see  our  time 
much   touched   in   these   mysteries.      Ye  shall  perceive  that 


IV.]  CONVOCATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  35 

God  by  this  example  shaketh  us  by  the  noses  and  pulleth 
us  by  the  ears.  Ye  shall  perceive  very  plain,  that  God 
setteth  before  our  eyes  in  this  similitude  what  we  ought 
most  to  flee,  and  what  we  ought  soonest  to  follow.  For 
Luke  saith,  "  The  Lord  spake  these  words  to  his  disciples." 
Wherefore  let  it  be  out  of  all  doubt  that  he  spake  them 
to  us,  which  even  as  we  will  be  counted  the  successors 
and  vicars  of  Christ's  disciples,  so  we  be,  if  we  be  good 
dispensers  and  do  our  duty.  He  said  these  things  partly 
to  us,  which  spake  them  partly  of  himself.  For  he  is  that  Christ  hath 
rich  man,  which  not  only  had,  but  hath,  and  shall  have ards- 
evermore,  I  say  not  one,  but  many  stewards,  even  to  the 
end  of  the  world. 

He  is  man,  seeing  that  he  is  God  and  man.  He  is  rich, 
not  only  in  mercy  but  in  all  kind  of  riches  ;  for  it  is  he  that 
giveth  to  us  all  things  abundantly.  It  is  he  of  whose  hand 
we  received  both  our  lives,  and  other  things  necessary  for  the 
conservation  of  the  same.  What  man  hath  any  thing,  I  pray 
you,  but  he  hath  received  it  of  Ins  plentifulness '?  To  be 
short,  it  is  he  that  "  openeth  his  hand,  and  filleth  all  beasts 
with  his  blessing,"  and1  giveth  unto  us  in  most  ample  wise  his 
benediction.     Neither  his  treasure  can  be  spent,  how  much  Christ's 

i  t,    i  •  treasures 

soever  he  lash  out ;   how  much  soever  we  take  of  him,  his cannot  be 

\  '  spent. 

treasure  tarrieth  still,   ever  taken,  never  spent. 

He  is  also  the  good  man  of  the  house :  the  church  is  his 
household,  which  ought  with  all  diligence  to  be  fed  with  Ins 
word  and  his  sacraments.  These  be  his  goods  most  precious, 
the  dispensation  and  administration  whereof  he  would  bishops 
and  curates  should  have.      Which  thing   St  Paul  afnrmeth,  The  office  of 

#  °,  ministers. 

saying,  "  Let  men  esteem  us  as  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and 
dispensers  of  God's  mysteries."  But,  I  pray  you,  what  is  to 
be  looked  for  in  a  dispenser  ?  This  surely,  "  that  he  be  found 
faithful,"  and  that  he  truly  dispense,  and  lay  out  the  goods  of 
the  Lord ;  that  he  give  meat  in  time ;  give  it,  I  say,  and  not 
sell  it ;  meat  I  say,  and  not  poison.  For  the  one  doth  in- 
toxicate and  slay  the  eater,  the  other  feedeth  and  nourisheth 
him.  Finally,  let  him  not  slack  and  defer  the  doing  of  his  what  man- 
office,  but  let  him  do  his  duty  when  time  is,  and  need  requir-  a  miniSer1 
eth  it.  This  is  also  to  be  looked  for,  that  he  be  one  whom 
God  hath  called  and  put  in  office,  and  not  one  that  cometh 
[l  and  not  only  giveth,  1562.] 

3—2 


36  SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE    THE  [SERM. 

uncalled,  unsent  for ;  not  one  that  of  himself  presumeth  to 
take  honour  upon  him.  And1  surely,  if  all  this  that  I  say  be 
required  in  a  good  minister,  it  is  much  lighter  to  require  them 
all  in  every  one,  than  to  find  one  any  where  that  hath  them 
a  faithful     aJL      vyho  js  a  true  and  fakliful  steward  ?  He  is  true,  he  is 

steward. 

faithful,  that  coineth  no  new  money,  but  taketh  it  ready 
coined  of  the  a-ood  man  of  the  house ;  and  neither  changeth 
it,  ne  clippeth  it,  after  it  is  taken  to  him  to  spend,  but 
spendeth  even  the  self-same  that  he  had  of  his  Lord,  and 
spendeth  it  as  his  Lord's  commandment  is ;  neither  to  Ins  own 
vantage  uttering  it,  nor  as  the  lewd  servant  did,  hiding  it  in 
the  ground.  Brethren,  if  a  faithful  steward  ought  to  do  as  I 
have  said,  I  pray  you,  ponder  and  examine  this  well,  whether 
our  bishops  and  abbots,  prelates  and  curates,  have  been 
hitherto  faithful  stewards  or  no?  Ponder,  whether  yet  many 
of  them  be  as  they  should  be  or  no  ?  Go  ye  to,  tell  me  now 
counter-       as  your  conscience  leadeth  you,   (I  will  let  pass  to  speak  of 

feitersof  J  i  -i         •  •  -i 

Gods  coin,  many  other,)  was  there  not  some,  that  despising  the  money  of 
the  Lord,  as  copper  and  not  current,  either  coined  new  them- 
selves, .  or  else  uttered  abroad  newly  coined  of  other ;  some 
time  either  adulterating  the  word  of  God,  or  else  mingling  it 
(as  taverners  do,  wliich  brew  and  utter  the  evil  and  good  both 
in  one  pot),  sometime  in  the  stead  of  God's  word  blowing  out 
the  dreams  of  men?  while  they  thus  preached  to  the  people 
the  redemption  that  cometh  by  Christ's  death  to  serve  only 
them  that  died  before  his  coming,  that  were  in  the  time  of 
the  old  testament;  and  that  now  since  redemption  and  for- 
giveness of  sins  purchased  by  money,  and  devised  by  men, 
is  of  efficacy,  and  not  redemption  purchased  by  Christ:  (they 
have  a  wonderful  pretty  example  to  persuade  this  thing,  of  a 
certain  married  woman,  wliich,  when  her  husband  was  in 
purgatory,  in  that  fiery  furnace  that  hath  burned  away  so 

Purgatory  many  of  our  pence,  paid  her  husband's  ransom,  and  so  of 
duty  claimed   him   to   be  set  at  liberty :)    while   they  thus 

Worshipping  preached  to  the  people,  that  dead  images  (which  at  the  first, 
as  I  think,  were  set  up,  only  to  represent  things  absent)  not 
only  ought  to  be  covered  with  gold2,  but  also  ought  of  all 

P  What  is  to  be  looked  for?     Surely,  &c.  1562.] 

[2  See  the  Homily  against  "Peril  of  Idolatry,"  (part  3.)  in  which 

many  of  the  same  superstitious  practices  are  recited  almost  in  the 

same  words.] 


IV.]  CONVOCATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  37 

faithful   and   christian  people,    (yea,    in   this   scarceness   and 

penury  of  all  things.)  to  be  clad  with  silk  garments,  and  those 

also  laden  with  precious  gems  and  jewels;  and  that  beside 

all  this,  they  are  to  be  lighted  with  wax  candles,  both  within 

the  church  and  without  the  church,  yea,  and  at  noon  days;  as 

who  should  say,  here  no  cost  can  be  too  great ;  whereas  in 

the  mean  time   we   see  Christ's  faithful  and  lively  images, 

bought  with  no  less  price  than  with  his  most  precious  blood, 

(alas,  alas !)  to  be  an  hungred,  a-thirst,  a-cold,  and  to  lie  in 

darkness,   wrapped  in  all  wretchedness,  yea,  to  lie  there  till 

death  take  away  their  miseries :    while  they  preached  these  wm-woiks. 

will-works,  that  come  but  of  our  own  devotion,  although  they 

be  not  so  necessary  as  the  works  of  mercy,  and  the  precepts 

of  God,  yet  they  said,  and  in  the  pulpit,  that  will-works  were 

more  principal,  more  excellent,  and   (plainly  to   utter  what 

they  mean)  more  acceptable  to  God  than  works  of  mercy  ;  The  works 

as  though    now  man's    inventions   and   fancies   could  please  eommamieth 

God  better  than  God's  precepts,  or  strange  tilings  better  than  acceptable 

i  m  i  iiii  n      •  before  Win. 

his  own:  while  they  thus  preached  that  more  fruit,  more 
devotion  cometh  of  the  beholding  of  an  image,  though  it  be 
but  a  Pater-nostcr  while,  than  is  gotten  by  reading  and  con- 
templation in  scripture,  though  ye  read  and  contemplate 
therein  seven  years'  space :  finally,  while  they  preached 
thus,  souls  tormented  in  purgatory  to  have  most  need  of  our  The  papists' 

l        O  </  _  doctrine. 

help,  and  that  they  can  have  no  aid,  but  of  us  in  this  world : 
of  the  which  two,  if  the  one  be  not  false,  yet  at  the  least  it  is 
ambiguous,  uncertain,  doubtful,  and  therefore  rashly  and 
arrogantly  with  such  boldness  affirmed  in  the  audience  of  the 
people ;  the  other,  by  all  men's  opinions,  is  manifestly  false : 
I  let  pass  to  speak  of  much  other  such  like  counterfeit  doc- 
trine, which  hath  been  blasted  and  blown  out  by  some  for  the 
space  of  three  hours  together.  Be  these  the  Christian  and 
divine  mysteries,  and  not  rather  the  dreams  of  men?  Be 
these  the  faithful  dispensers  of  God's  mysteries,  and  not  Papists  are 
rather  false  dissipators  of  them  ?   whom  God  never  put   in  crafty  <iis- 

x  l  posers  of 

office,  but  rather  the  devil  set  them  over  a  miserable  family,  ^ds m^ste- 
over  an  house  miserably  ordered  and  entreated.    Happy  were 
the  people  if  such  preached  seldom. 

And  yet  it  is  a  wonder  to  see  these,  in  their  generation, 
to  be  much  more  prudent  and  politic  than  the  faithful  min- 
isters are  in  their   generation ;    while  they  go  about  more 


38  SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE    THE  [sERM. 

prudently  to  stablish  men's  dreams,  than  these  do  to  hold  up 
God's  commandments. 

Thus  it  cometh  to  pass  that  works  lucrative,  will-works, 
men's  fancies  reign;  but  christian  works,  necessary  works, 
fruitful  works,  be  trodden  under  the  foot.  Thus  the  evil  is 
much  better  set  out  by  evil  men,  than  the  good  by  good 
men;  because  the  evil  be  more  wise  than  be  the  good  in 
their  generation.  These  be  the  false  stewards,  whom  all 
good  and  faithful  men  every  day  accuse  unto  the  rich  master 
of  the  household,  not  without  great  heaviness,  that  they 
waste  his  goods ;  whom  he  also  one  day  will  call  to  him, 
and  say  to  them  as  he  did  to  his  steward,  when  he  said, 
"  What  is  this  that  I  hear  of  thee  ?"  Here  God  partly  won- 
dereth  at  our  ingratitude  and  perfidy,  partly  chideth  us  for 
them ;  and  being  both  full  of  wonder  and  ready  to  chide, 
asketh  us,  "  What  is  this  that  I  hear  of  you  ?"  As  though 
go«i  win  can  he  should  say  unto  us;  "All  good  men  in  all  places  complain 

his  ministers       .,  .  . 

to  a  great      ot  you,  accuse  your  avarice,  your  exactions,  your  tyranny. 


account. 


They  have  required  in  you  a  long  season,  and  yet  require, 
diligence  and  sincerity.  I  commanded  you,  that  with  all 
industry  and  labour  ye  should  feed  my  sheep  :  ye  earnestly 
feed  yourselves  from  day  to  day,  wallowing  in  delights  and 
idleness.  I  commanded  you  to  teach  my  commandments,  and 
not  your  fancies ;  and  that  ye  should  seek  my  glory  and  my 
vantage :  you  teach  your  own  traditions,  and  seek  your  own 
glory  and  profit.  You  preach  very  seldom ;  and  when  ye  do 
preach,  do  nothing  but  cumber  them  that  preach  truly,  as 
much  as  lieth  in  you :  that  it  were  much  better  such  were 
not  to  preach  at  all,  than  so  perniciously  to  preach.  Oh, 
what  hear  I  of  you?  You,  that  ought  to  be  my  preachers, 
what  other  thing  do  you,  than  apply  all  your  study  hither, 
to  bring  all  my  preachers  to  envy,  shame,  contempt  ?  Yea, 
more  than  this,  ye  pull  them  into  perils,  into  prisons,  and,  as 
God  wiueth   much  as  in  you  lieth,  to  cruel  deaths.      To  be  short,  I  would 

all  men  to         ,  1     .     . 

uli'iii'staiui  *  cnnstian  people  should  hear  my  doctrine,  and  at  their 

hiS  word.      convenient  leisure  read  it  also,  as  many  as  would  :  your  care 

is  not  that  all  men  may  hear  it,  but  all  your  care  is,  that  no 

lay  man  do  read  it:  surely,  being  afraid  lest  they  by  the 

reading   should   understand  it,   and   understanding,  learn  to 

In'v'rj.'m"    rebukc   our   slothfulness.     This  is   your  generation,  this  is 

£aoifne"     your  dispensation,  this  is  your  wisdom.     In  this  generation, 


IV.]  CONVOCATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  39 

in  this  dispensation,  you  be  most  politic,  most  witty.  These 
be  the  things  that  I  hear  of  your  demeanour.  I  wished  to 
hear  better  report  of  you.  Have  ye  thus  deceived  me  ?  or 
have  ye  rather  deceived  yourselves  ?  Where  I  had  but  one 
house,  that  is  to  say,  the  church,  and  this  so  dearly  beloved 
of  me,  that  for  the  love  of  her  I  put  myself  forth  to  be  slain, 
and  to  shed  my  blood ;  tliis  church  at  my  departure  I  com- 
mitted unto  your  charge,  to  be  fed,  to  be  nourished,  and  to 
be  made  much  of.  My  pleasure  was  ye  should  occupy  my 
place ;  my  desire  was  ye  should  have  borne  like  love  to  this 
church,  like  fatherly  affection,  as  I  did :  I  made  you  my 
vicars,  yea,  in  matters  of  most  importance. 

"  For  thus  I  taught  openly  :  '  He  that  should  hear  you,  Jj*te*-Vi 
should  hear  me ;  he  that  should  despise  you,  should  despise 
me.'  I  gave  you  also  keys,  not  earthly  keys,  but  heavenly. 
I  left  my  goods  that  I  have  evermore  most  highly  esteemed,  that 
is,  my  word  and  sacraments,  to  be  dispensed  of  you.  These 
benefits  I  gave  you,  and  do  you  give  me  these  thanks?  Can 
you  find  in  your  hearts  thus  to  abuse  my  goodness,  my 
benignity,  my  gentleness  ?  Have  you  thus  deceived  me  ? 
No,  no,  ye  have  not  deceived  me,  but  y ourselves.     My  gifts  The  papists 

«  "  .  deceive  not 

and  benefits  toward  you  shall  be  to  your  greater  damnation,  y^^"^ 
Because  you  have  contemned  the  lenity  and  clemency  of  the 
master  of  the  house,  ye  have  right  well  deserved  to  abide 
the  rigour  and  severity  of  the  judge.  Come  forth  then,  let 
us  see  an  account  of  your  stewardship.  An  horrible  and 
fearful  sentence :  Ye  may  have  no  longer  my  goods  in  your 
hands.     A  voice  to  weep  at,  and  to  make  men  tremble !" 

You  see,  brethren,  you  see,  what  evil  the  evil  stewards 
must  come  to.     Your  labour  is  paid  for,  if  ye  can  so  take 
heed,  that  no  such  sentence  be  spoken  to  you ;  nay,  we  must 
all  take  heed  lest  these  threatenings  one  day  take  place  in  us. 
But  lest  the  length  of  my  sermon  offend  you  too  sore,  I  will 
leave  the  rest  of  the  parable  and  take  me  to  the  handling 
of  the  end  of  it ;  that  is,  I  will  declare  unto  you  how  the 
children  of  this  world  be  more  witty,  crafty,   and   subtle,  ^teh^^J} 
than  are  the  children  of  the  light  in  their  generation.    Which  ^^^" 
sentence  would  God  it  lay  in  my  poor  tongue  to  explicate  Lueke°xf.light' 
with  such  light  of  words,  that  I  might  seem  rather  to  have 
painted  it  before   your  eyes,  than  to  have  spoken  it;  and 
that  you  might  rather  seem  to  see  the  thing,  than  to  hear  it! 


40  SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE    THE    CLERGY.      [sERM  IV.] 

But  I  confess  plainly  this  thing  to  be  far  above  my  power. 
Therefore  this  being  only  left  to  me,  I  wish  for  that  I  have 
not,  and  am  sorry  that  that  is  not  in  me  winch  I  would  so 
gladly  have,  that  is,  power  so  to  handle  the  tiling  that  I 
have  in  hand,  that  all  that  I  say  may  turn  to  the  glory  of 
God,  your  souls'  health,  and  the  edifying  of  Christ's  body. 
oodiy  Wherefore  I  pray  you  all  to  pray  with  me  imto   God,  and 

petitions.  t^at  -n  yQur  petition  you  desire,  that  these  two  tilings  he 
vouchsafe  to  grant  us,  first,  a  mouth  for  me  to  speak  rightly ; 
next,  ears  for  you,  that  in  hearing  me  ye  may  take  profit 
at  my  hand :  and  that  tins  may  come  to  effect,  you  shall  de- 
sire him,  unto  whom  our  master  Christ  bad  we  should  pray, 
saying  even  the  same  prayer  that  he  himself  did  institute. 
Wherein  ye  shall  pray  for  our  most  gracious  sovereign  lord 
the  king,  chief  and  supreme  head  of  the  church  of  England 
under  Christ,  and  for  the  most  excellent,  gracious,  and  vir- 
tuous lady  queen  Jane1,  his  most  lawful  wife,  and  for  all 
his,  whether  they  be  of  the  clergy  or  laity,  whether  they  be 
of  the  nobility,  "or  else  other  his  grace's  subjects2,  not  for- 
getting those  that  being  departed  out  of  this  transitory  life, 
and  now  sleep  in  the  sleep  of  peace,  and  rest  from  their 
labours  hi  quietness  and  in  peaceable  sleep,  faithfully,  lov- 
ingly, and  patiently  looking  for  that  that  they  clearly  shall 
see  when  God  shall  be  so  pleased.  For  all  these,  and  for 
grace  necessary,  ye  shall  say  imto  God  God's  prayer,  Pater 
noster. 

[l  Jane  Seymour,  the  third  wife  of  Henry  VIII.] 
[2  humbly  beseeching  Almighty  God  that  every  one  of  us,  even 
from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  may,  in  his  degree  and  calling,  earnestly 
endeavour  to  set  forth  the  glory  of  God  and  the  gospel  of  his  Son, 
Christ  Jesus,  that  so  living  in  his  fear  and  love,  we  may  in  the  end  of 
our  days  depart  out  of  this  life  in  his  friendship  and  favour.  For  these 
graces,  and  what  else  his  wisdom  knoweth  most  needful  for  us,  let  us 
pray  as  we  are  taught,  saying,  Our  Father,  &c.    1607.] 


THE  SECOND  SERMON,   IN   THE  AFTERNOON. 


world  should  be  of  more  policy  than  the  children  of  light;   o) 
which  thing  was  true  in  Christ's  time,  and  now  in  our  time  ^{\^ 


Filii  hujus  seculi,  §c. — Luc.  xvi.  [8]. 

Christ  in  this  saying  touched  the  sloth  and  sluggishness 
of  his,  and  did  not  allow  the  fraud  and  subtlety  of  others ; 
neither  was  glad  that  it  was  indeed  as  ho  had  said,  but  com- 
plained rather  that  it  should  be  so :  as  many  men  speak  many 
things,  not  that  they  ought  to  be  so,  but  that  they  are  wont 
to  be  so.      Nay,  this  grieved  Christ,  that  the  children  of  this  The  children 

J  of  this  world 

are  of  r 
policy  1 
the  children 

is  most  true.  Who  is  so  blind  but  he  seeth  this  clearly  ; 
except  perchance  there  be  any  that  cannot  discern  the  chil- 
dren of  the  world  from  the  children  of  light?  The  children 
of  the  world  conceive  and  bring  forth  more  prudently  ;  and 
things  conceived  and  brought  forth  they  nourish  and  con- 
serve with  much  more  policy  than  do  the  children  of  light. 
Which  tiling  is  as  sorrowful  to  be  said,  as  it  seemeth  absurd 
to  be  heard.  When  ye  hear  the  children  of  the  world,  you 
understand  the  world  as  a  father.  For  the  world  is  father 
of  many  children,  not  by  the  first  creation  and  work,  but  by 
imitation  of  love.  He  is  not  only  a  father,  but  also  the  son 
of  another  father.  If  ye  know  once  his  father,  by  and  by 
ye  shall  know  his  children.  For  he  that  hath  the  devil  to 
his  father,  must  needs  have  devilish  children.  The  devil  The  devil  is 
is  not  only  taken  for  father,  but  also  for  prince  of  the  world,  this  wond° 
that  is,  of  worldly  folk.  It  is  either  all  one  tiling,  or  else 
not  much  different,  to  say,  children  of  the  world,  and  children 
of  the  devil ;  according  to  that  that  Christ  said  to  the  Jews, 
"  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil :"  where  as  undoubtedly  John  via. 
he  spake  to  children  of  this  world.  Now  seeing  the  devil 
is  both  author  and  ruler  of  the  darkness,  in  the  which 
the  children  of  this  world  walk,  or,  to  say  better,  wan-  The  devii  is 
der ;   they  mortally  hate  both  the  light,  and  also  the  chil-  the  children 

tl  v  o       7  of  this  world. 

dren  of  light.     And  hereof  it  cometh,  that  the  children  of 


42  SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE    THE  [sERM. 

light  never,  or  very  seldom,  lack  persecution  in  this  world, 
unto  which  the  children  of  the  world,  that  is,  of  the  devil, 
bringeth  them.  And  there  is  no  man  but  he  seeth,  that 
these  use  much  more  policy  in  procuring  the  hurt  and  damage 
of  the  good,  than  those  in  defending  themselves.  Therefore, 
brethren,  gather  you  the  disposition  and  study  of  the  children 
by  the  disposition  and  study  of  the  fathers.      Ye  know  this 

The  pedigree  is  a  proverb  much  used:  "An  evil  crow,  an  evil  egg."     Then 

iir.'n'.fthis  the  children  of  this  world  that  are  known  to  have  so  evil  a 
father,  the  world,  so  evil  a  grandfather,  the  devil,  cannot 
choose  but  be  evil.      Surely  the  first  head  of  their  ancestry 

The  dcvii  was  the  deceitful  serpent  the  devil,  a  monster  monstrous 
above  all  monsters.  I  cannot  wholly  express  him,  I  wot 
not  what  to  call  him,  but  a  certain  tiling  altogether  made  of 
the  hatred  of  God,  of  mistrust  in  God,  of  lyings,  deceits, 
perjuries,  discords,  manslaughters ;  and,  to  say  at  one  word, 
a  thing  concrete,  heaped  up  and  made  of  all  kind  of  mischief. 
But  what  the  devil  mean  I  to  go  about  to  describe  parti- 
cularly the  devil's  nature,  when  no  reason,  no  power  of  man's 
mind  can  comprehend  it?  This  alonely  I  can  say  grossly, 
and  as  in  a  sum,  of  the  which  all  we  (our  hurt  is  the  more) 
have  experience,  the  devil  to  be  a  stinking  sentine1  of  all 
vices ;  a  foul  filthy  channel  of  all  mischiefs ;  and  that  this 
world,  his  son,  even  a  child  meet  to  have  such  a  parent, 
is  not  much  unlike  his  father. 

Then,  this  devil  being  such  one  as  can  never  be  unlike 
himself;  lo,  of  Envy,  his  well  beloved  Leman2,  he  begat  the 
World,  and  after  left  it  with  Discord  at  nurse ;   which  World, 

Note  wen  after  that  it  came  to  man's  state,  had  of  many  concubines 
many  sons.  He  was  so  fecund  a  father,  and  had  gotten 
so  many  children  of  Lady  Pride,  Dame  Gluttony,  Mistress 
Avarice,  Lady  Lechery,  and  of  Dame  Subtlety,  that  now 
hard  and  scant  ye  may  find  any  corner,  any  kind  of  life, 
where  many  of  his  children  be  not.  In  court,  in  cowls, 
in  cloisters,  in  rochets,  be  they  never  so  white ;  yea,  where 
shall  ye  not  find  them  ?  Howbeit,  they  that  be  secular  and 
laymen,  are  not  by  and  by  children  of  the  world ;  nor  they 
children  of  light,  that  are  called  spiritual,  and  of  the  clergy. 

[l  Sentine,  sentina,  kennel  of  collected  filth.] 
[2  Leman,  properly,  a  sweetheart  of  either  sex,  but  the  word  was 
commonly  used  in  a  bad  sense.] 


V.]  CONVOCATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  43 

No,  no ;  as  ye  may  find  among  the  laity  many  children 
of  light,  so  among  the  clergy,  (how  much  soever  we  arrogate 
these  holy  titles  unto  us,  and  think  them  only  attributed 
to  us,  Vos  estis  lux  mundi,  peculium  Christi,  8fc.  "Ye  Matt.  v. 
are  the  light  of  the  world,  the  chosen  people  of  Christ,  a 
kingly  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  and  such  other,")  ye 
shall  find  many  children  of  the  world;  because  in  all  places 
the  world  getteth  many  children.  Among  the  lay  people 
the  world  ceaseth  not  to  bring  to  pass,  that  as  they  be 
called  worldly,  so  they  are  worldly  indeed ;  driven  head- 
long by  worldly  desires :  insomuch  that  they  may  right 
well  seem  to  have  taken  as  well  the  manners  as  the  name 
of  their  father.  In  the  clergy,  the  world  also  hath  learned 
a  way  to  make  of  men  spiritual,  worldlings ;  yea,  and  there 
also  to  form  worldly  children,  where  with  great  pretence 
of  holiness,  and  crafty  colour  of  religion,  they  utterly  desire 
to  hide  and  cloak  the  name  of  the  world,  as  though  they 
were  ashamed  of  their  father ;  which  do  execrate  and  detest  worldlings 
the   world    (being   nevertheless  their   father)   in    words  and?ftheir 

v  o  I  m       father. 

outward  signs,  but  in  heart  and  work  they  coll3  and  kiss 
him,  and  in  all  their  lives  declare  themselves  to  be  his 
babes ;  insomuch  that  in  all  worldly  points  they  far  pass 
and  surmount  those  that  they  call  seculars,  laymen,  men 
of  the  world.  The  child  so  diligently  followeth  the  steps 
of  his  father,  is  never  destitute  of  the  aid  of  his  grandfather. 
These  be  our  holy  holy  men,  that  say  they  are  dead  to 
the  world,  when  no  men  be  more  lively  in  worldly  things 
than  some  of  them  be.  But  let  them  be  in  profession  and 
name  most  farthest  from  the  world,  most  alienate  from  it; 
yea  so  far,  that  they  may  seem  to  have  no  occupying,  no 
kindred,  no  affinity,  nothing  to  do  with  it :  yet  in  their  life 
and  deeds  they  shew  themselves  no  bastards,  but  right  be- 
gotten children  of  the  world ;  as  that  which  the  world  long 
sithens  had  by  his   dear  wife  Dame   Hypocrisy,   and   since  a  glass 

wherein  ve 

hath  brought  them  up  and  multiplied  to  more  than  a  good  may  jiveiy 
many ;   increased  them  too  much,  albeit  they  swear  by  all  worldlings, 
he-saints  and  she-saints  too,  that  they  know  not  their  father, 
nor  mother,  neither  the  world,  nor  hypocrisy;  as  indeed  they 
can  semble  and  dissemble  all  things ;   which  thing  they  might 

[3  French  accoler,  to  hang  round  the  neck.] 


44  SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE    THE  [sERM. 

learn  wonderful  well  of  their  parents.  I  speak  not  of  all 
religious  men,  but  of  those  that  the  world  hath  fast  knit  at 
his  girdle,  even  in  the  midst  of  their  religion,  that  is,  of  many 
and  more  than  many.  For  I  fear,  lest  in  all  orders  of  men 
the  better,  I  must  say  the  greater  part  of  them  be  out  of 
order,  and  children  of  the  world.  Many  of  these  might 
seem  ingrate  and  unkind  children,  that  will  no  better  ac- 
knowledge and  recognise  their  parents  in  words  and  outward 
pretence,  but  abrenounce  and  cast  them  off,  as  though  they 
rheiiveiy     hated  them  as  dogs  and  serpents.      Howbeit   they,    in   this 

images  of  the      .  °  ,     .  ■, 

world.  wise,  are  most  grateful  to  their  parents,  because  they  be 
most  like  them,  so  lively  representing  them  in  countenance 
and  conditions,  that  them  parents  seem  in  them  to  be  young 
again,  forasmuch  as  they  ever  say  one  thing  and  think  an- 
other. They  shew  themselves  to  be  as  sober,  as  temperate, 
as  Curius1  the  Roman  was,  and  live  every  clay  as  though 
all  their  life  were  a  shroving  time.  They  be  like  their 
parents,  I  say,  inasmuch  as  they,  in  following  them,    seem 

Grandfather  and  make  men  believe  they  hate  them.      Thus  grandfather 

Devil,  father  <>  O 

mother h>  Devil,  father  World,  and  mother  Hypocrisy,  have  brought 
Swbegetters  tnem  UP-  Thus  good  obedient  sons  have  borne  away  their 
dre'n  of  the  parents'  commandments ;  neither  these  be  solitary,  how  reli- 
gious, how  mocking,  how  monking,  I  would  say,  soever  they  be. 
0  ye  will  lay  this  to  my  charge,  that  monachus  and 
solitarius  significth  all  one.  I  grant  tins  to  be  so,  yet  these 
be  so  solitary  that  they  be  not  alone,  but  accompanied  with 
great  flocks  of  fraternities.  And  I  marvel  if  there  be  not  a 
great  sort  of  bishops  and  prelates,  that  are  brethren  germain 
unto  these ;  and  as  a  great  sort,  so  even  as  right  born,  and 
world's  children  by  as  good  title  as  they.  But  because  I 
cannot  speak  of  all,  when  I  say  prelates,  I  imderstand 
bishops,  abbots,  priors,  archdeacons,  deans,  and  other  of  such 
sort,  that  are  now  called  to  this  convocation,  as  I  see,  to 
entreat  here  of  nothing  but  of  such  matters  as  both  appertain 
to  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  to  the  wealth  of  the  people  of 
England.  Which  thing  I  pray  God  they  do  as  earnestly  as 
they  ought  to  do.  But  it  is  to  be  feared  lest,  as  light  hath 
many  her  children  here,  so  the  world  hath  sent  some  of  his 
whelps  hither :  amongst  the  winch  I  know  there  can  be  no 

\}  Curius  Dentatus — incomptis  Curium  capillis,  Hot.] 


V.]  CONVOCATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  45 

concord  nor  unity,  albeit  they  be  in  one  place,  in  one  con- 
gregation.     I   know   there  can  be  no   agreement    between  Aien  of 
these  two,   as  long  as  they  have  minds  so  unlike,   and  so  oiSns 
contrary  affections,  judgments  so  utterly  diverse  in  all  points,  v^en  they  be 
But  if  the  children  of  this  world  be  either  more  in  number, 
or  more  prudent  than  the  children  of  light,  what  then  avail- 
cth  us  to  have  this  convocation  ?     Had  it  not  been  better  we 
had  not  been  called  together  at  all  ?    For  as  the  children  of 
this  world  be  evil,  so  they  breed  and  bring  forth  things  evil ; 
and  yet  there  be  more  of  them  in  all  places,  or  at  the  least 
they  be  more  politic  than  the  children  of  light  in  their  gene- 
ration.    And  here  I  speak  of  the  generation  whereby  they 
do  engender,  and  not  of  that  whereby  they  are  engendered, 
because  it  should  be  too  long  to  entreat  how  the  children 
of  light  are  engendered,  and  how  they  come  in  at  the  door ; 
and  how  the  children  of  the  world  be  engendered,  and  come 
in  another  way.     Howbeit,  I  think  all  you  that  be  here 
were  not  engendered  after  one  generation,  neither  that  ye  all 
came  by  your  promotions  after  one  manner :  God  grant  that 
ye,  engendered  worldly,  do  not  engender  worldly  :  and  as  worwiy 
now  I  much  pass  not  how  ye  were  engendered,  or  by  what  S' " 
means   ye  were   promoted  to   those   dignities  that  ye  now  workup 
occupy,  so  it  be  honest,  good  and  profitable,  that  ye  in  this 
your  consultation  shall  do  and  engender. 

The  end  of  your  convocation  shall  shew  what  ye  have 
done ;  the  fruit  that  shall  come  of  your  consultation  shall 
shew  what  generation  ye  be  of.  For  what  have  ye  done 
hitherto,  I  pray  you,  these  seven  years  and  more?  What 
have  ye  engendered  ?  What  have  ye  brought  forth  ?  What 
fruit  is  come  of  your  long  and  great  assembly  ?  What  one 
thing  that  the  people  of  England  hath  been  the  better  of  a 
hair ;  or  you  yourselves,  either  more  accepted  before  God, 
or  better  discharged  toward  the  people  committed  unto  your 
cure  ?  For  that  the  people  is  better  learned  and  taught  now, 
than  they  were  in  time  past,  to  whether  of  these  ought  we 
to  attribute  it,  to  your  industry,  or  to  the  providence  of  God, 
and  the  foreseeing  of  the  king's  grace2  ?  Ought  we  to  thank 
you,  or  the  king's  highness?  Whether  stirred  other  first, 
you  the  king,  that  he  might  preach,  or  he  you  by  his  letters, 

[2  See  the  king's  letter  to  his  bishops  directing  them  how  to  in- 
struct the  people.     Wilkins,  Concil.  ni.  825.] 


46  SERMON    PREACHED    REFORE    THE  [sERM. 

that  ye  should  preach  oftener  ?  Is  it  unknown,  think  you, 
how  both  ye  and  your  curates  were,  in  [a]  manner,  by 
violence  enforced  to  let  books  to  be  made,  not  by  you,  but 
by  profane  and  lay  persons;  to  let  them,  I  say,  be  sold 
abroad,  and  read  for  the  instruction  of  the  people?  I  am 
bold  with  you,  but  I  speak  Latin  and  not  English,  to  the 
clergy,  not  to  the  laity ;  I  speak  to  you  being  present,  and 
mannerof  no^  D°hind  your  backs.  God  is  my  witness,  I  speak  what- 
byCSimerd  soever  is  spoken  of  the  good-will  that  I  bear  you;  God  is 
my  witness,  which  knoweth  my  heart,  and  compelleth  me  to 
say  that  I  say. 

Now,  I  pray  you  in  God's  name,  what  did  you,  so  great 
fathers,  so  many,  so  long  a  season,  so  oft  assembled  together  ? 
What  went  you  about?  What  would  ye  have  brought  to 
Two  notable  pass  ?  Two  things  taken  away — the  one,  that  ye  (which 
I  heard)  burned  a  dead  man1 ;  the  other,  that  ye  (which 
I  felt)  went  about  to  burn  one  being  alive:  him,  because 
he  did,  I  cannot  tell  how,  in  his  testament  withstand  your 
profit ;  in  other  points,  as  I  have  heard,  a  very  good  man ; 
reported  to  be  of  an  honest  life  while  he  lived,  full  of  good 
works,  good  both  to  the  clergy,  and  also  to  the  laity :  this 
other2,  which  truly  never  hurt  any  of  you,  ye  would  have 
raked  in  the  coals,  because  he  would  not  subscribe  to  certain 
articles  that  took  away  the  supremacy  of  the  king : — take 
away  these  two  noble  acts,  and  there  is  nothing  else  left  that 
ye  went  about,  that  I  know,  saving  that  I  now  remember, 
that  somewhat  ye  attempted  against  Erasmus3,  albeit  as  yet 
Manycon-  nothing  is  come  to  light.  Ye  have  oft  sat  in  consultation, 
Iniau  proa?  but  what  have  ye  done  ?  Ye  have  had  many  things  in  de- 
liberation, but  what  one  is  put  forth,  whereby  either  Christ 
is  more  glorified,  or  else  Christ's  people  made  more  holy? 
I  appeal  to  your  own  conscience.  How  chanced  this  ?  How 
came  it  thus  ?  Because  there  were  no  children  of  light,  no 
children  of  God  amongst  you,  which,   setting  the  world  at 

[!  The  body  of  William  Tracy,  in  the  year  1532.  Collier,  Eccles. 
Hist.  Vol.  iv.  p.  199,  8vo.  Edit.  Tracy's  will,  on  account  of  which  his 
dead  body  was  adjudged  to  be  guilty  of  heresy,  may  be  seen  in  Foxe, 
Acts  and  Mon.  Vol.  v.  p.  31.     Edit.  1838.] 

[2  Latimer  himself.] 

[3  An  allusion  to  the  attempt  of  Dr  Standish  (1520)  to  fasten  the 
charge  of  heresy  on  Erasmus.     Jortin,  Life  of  Erasmus,  p.  220.] 


V.]  CONVOCATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  47 

nought,  would  study  to  illustrate  the  glory  of  God,  and 
thereby  shew  themselves  children  of  light  ?  I  think  not  so, 
certainly  I  think  not  so.  God  forbid,  that  all  you,  which 
were  gathered  together  under  the  pretence  of  light,  should 
be  children  of  the  world !  Then  why  happened  this  ?  Why, 
I  pray  you  ?  Perchance,  either  because  the  children  of  the 
world  were  more  in  number  in  this  your  congregation,  as 
it  oft  happeneth,  or  at  the  least  of  more  policy  than  the 
children  of  light  in  their  generation :  whereby  it  might  very 
soon  be  brought  to  pass,  that  these  were  much  more  stronger 
in  gendering  the  evil,  than  these  in  producing  the  good. 
The  children  of  light  have  policv,  but  it  is  like  the  policy  The  p°licy  °f 

»   ,,  ?.      .    .        /     .,/    .         ..       .        ..   .,  *  J   the  children 

ot  the  serpent,  and  is  joined  with  doveish  simplicity.  They  ofiight. 
engender  nothing  but  simply,  faithfully,  and  plainly,  even  so 
doing  all  that  they  do.  And  therefore  they  may  with  more 
facility  be  cumbered  in  their  engendering,  and  be  the  more 
ready  to  take  injuries.  But  the  children  of  this  world  have 
Avorldly  policy,  foxly  craft,  lion-like  cruelty,  power  to  do  hurt, 
more  than  either  aspis  or  basiliscus,  engendering  and  doing 
all  things  fraudulently,  deceitfully,  guilefully  :  which  as  Nim- 
rods  and  such  sturdy  and  stout  hunters,  being  full  of  simula- 
tion and  dissimulation  before  the  Lord,  deceive  the  children 
of  light,  and  cumber  them  easily.  Hunters  go  not  forth  in 
every  man's  sight,  but  do  their  affairs  closely,  and  with  use 
of  guile  and  deceit  wax  every  day  more  craftier  than  other. 

The  children  of  this  world  be  like  crafty  hunters ;  they  The  children 
be  misnamed  children  of  light,  forasmuch  as  they  so  hate  are  crafty 

°  "  hunters. 

light,  and  so  study  to  do  the  works  of  darkness.  If  they 
were  the  children  of  light,  they  would  not  love  darkness. 
It  is  no  marvel  that  they  go  about  to  keep  other  in  dark- 
ness, seeing  they  be  in  darkness,  from  top  to  toe  over- 
whelmed with  darkness,  darker  than  is  the  darkness  of  hell. 
Wherefore  it  is  well  done  in  all  orders  of  men,  but  especial 
in  the  order  of  prelates,  to  put  a  difference  between  children 
of  light  and  children  of  the  world,  because  great  deceit 
ariseth  in  taking  the  one  for  the  other.  Great  imposture 
cometh,  when  they  that  the  common  people  take  for  the 
light,  go  about  to  take  the  sun  and  the  light  out  of  the 
world.  But  these  be  easily  known,  both  by  the  diversity 
of  minds,  and  also  their  armours.  For  whereas  the  children 
of  light  are  thus  minded,  that  they  seek  their  adversaries' 


48 


SERMON    PREACHED    I5EF0RE    THE 


[SERM. 


Armour  of 
the  children 
of  light. 


The  children 
of  this  world 
destroy  true 
faith  and  set 
up  false 
faith. 


The  children 
of  light  extol 
trut'n  and 
abhor  abuses. 


health,  wealth,  and  profit,  with  loss  of  their  own  commodities, 
and  ofttimes  with  jeopardy  of  their  life ;  the  children  of  the 
world,  contrariwise,  have  such  stomachs,  that  they  will  sooner 
see  them  dead  that  doth  them  good,  than  sustain  any  loss  of 
temporal  tilings.  The  armour  of  the  children  of  light  are, 
first,  the  word  of  God,  which  they  ever  set  forth,  and  with 
all  diligence  put  it  abroad,  that,  as  much  as  in  them  lieth, 
it  may  bring  forth  fruit :  after  this,  patience  and  prayer, 
with  the  which  in  all  adversities  the  Lord  comforteth  them. 
Other  things  they  commit  to  God,  unto  whom  they  leave 
all  revengement.  The  armour  of  the  children  of  the  world 
are,  sometime  frauds  and  deceits,  sometime  lies  and  money  : 
by  the  first  they  make  their  dreams,  their  traditions ;  by 
the  second  they  stablish  and  confirm  their  dreams,  be  they 
never  so  absurd,  never  so  against  scripture,  honesty,  or 
reason.  And  if  any  man  resist  them,  even  with  these  wea- 
pons they  procure  to  slay  him.  Thus  they  bought  Christ's 
death,  the  very  light  itself,  and  obscured  him  after  his  death : 
thus  they  buy  every  day  the  children  of  light,  and  obscure 
them,  and  shall  so  do,  until  the  world  be  at  an  end.  So  that 
it  may  be  ever  true,  that  Christ  said :  "  The  children  of  the 
world  be  wiser,  &c." 

These  worldlings  pull  down  the  lively  faith,  and  full  con- 
fidence that  men  have  in  Christ,  and  set  up  another  faith, 
another  confidence,  of  their  own  making :  the  children  of 
light  contrary.  These  worldlings  set  little  by  such  works 
as  God  hath  prepared  for  our  salvation,  but  they  extol 
traditions  and  works  of  them  own  invention :  the  children 
of  light  contrary.  The  worldlings,  if  they  spy  profit,  gains, 
or  lucre  in  any  thing,  be  it  never  such  a  trifle,  be  it  never 
so  pernicious,  they  preach  it  to  the  people,  (if  they  preach 
at  any  time,)  and  these  things  they  defend  with  tooth  and 
nail.  They  can  scarce  disallow  the  abuses  of  these,  albeit 
they  be  intolerable,  lest  in  disallowing  the  abuse  they  lose 
part  of  their  profit.  The  children  of  the  light  contrary,  put 
all  things  in  their  degree,  best  highest,  next  next,  the  worst 
lowest.  They  extol  things  necessary,  christian,  and  commanded 
of  God.  They  pull  down  will-works  feigned  by  men,  and  put 
them  in  their  place.  The  abuses  of  all  things  they  earnestly 
rebuke.  But  yet  these  things  be  so  done  on  both  parties,  and 
so  they  both  do  gender,  that  the  children  of  the  world  shew 


V.]  CONVOCATION    OV    THE    CLERGY.  4.9 

themselves  wiser  than  the  children  of  light,  and  that  frauds 
and   deceits,    lies   and   money,  seem   evermore   to   have  the 
upper  hand.     I  hold  my  peace ;  I  will  not  say  how  fat  feasts,  instruments 
and  jolly  banquets,  be  jolly  instruments  to  set  forth  worldly  setforth 
matters  withal.     Neither  the  children   of  the  world  be  only  matters, 
wiser  than  the  children  of  light,  but  are  also  some  of  them 
among  themselves  much  wiser  than  the  other  in  their  gene- 
ration.     For  albeit,  as  touching  the  end,  the  generation  of 
them  all  is  one ;   yet  in  this  same  generation  some  of  them 
have  more  craftily  engendered  than  the  other   of  their  fel- 
lows. 

For  what  a  thing  was  that,  that  once  every  hundred 
year  was  brought  forth  in  Rome  of  the  children  of  this 
world,  and  with  how  much  policy  it  was  made,  ye  heard 
at  Paul's  Cross l  in  the  beginning  of  the  last  parliament : 
how  some  brought  forth  canonizations3,  some  expectations3,  whatfruits 

°  L  papistical 

some  pluralities  and  unions,  some  tot-quots  and  dispensations,  ggjJSf; 
some  pardons,  and  these  of  wonderful  variety,  some  station-  forth 
aries4,   some  jubilaries5,  some  pocularies6  for  drinkers,   some 


[l  For  historical  particulars  illustrative  of  the  preaching  at  "Paul's 
Cross,"  see  Dugdale,  Hist,  of  St  Paul's  Cathedral,  edited  by  Ellis, 
pp.  87,  &c] 

[2  Many  of  these  terms  are  explained  in  Ridley's  Works,  p.  55. 
Note  C] 

[3  Grati.ce  expectivce-,  or  certain  papal  instruments  by  which  bene- 
fices, not  yet  vacant,  were  prospectively  made  over  to  purchasers. 
Many  laws  were  enacted  in  England  against  this  intolerable  abuse.] 

[4  During  a  time  of  pestilence,  Gregory  I.  appointed  certain 
litanies  and  masses  to  be  sung  in  the  principal  churches  in  Rome 
on  certain  fixed  days,  for  the  remission  of  sins.  These  solemnities 
were  continued  ever  afterwards  on  stated  occasions,  and  denominated 
Stations,  quasi  statas,  i.  e.  certis  anni  cliebus  ac  statutis  celebres.  Pol. 
Vergil,  De  rerum  Inventoribus,  Lib.  vm.  c.  1.] 

[5  Pope  Boniface  VIII.  instituted  the  first  jubilee  at  Rome  in  the 
year  1300,  promising  plenary  remission  of  sins  to  all  who  should 
visit  Rome  at  that  festival.  These  jubilees  were  at  first  ordered 
to  be  celebrated  once  in  100  years ;  but  Clement  VI.  shortened  that 
period  to  50  years;  Paul  II.  (who  was  followed  herein  by  Sextus  IV.) 
reduced  the  interval  to  25  years ;  whilst  Alexander  VI.,  to  increase 
his  revenue,  assigned  jubilees  to  be  held  in  provinces  and  countries 
at  a  distance  from  Rome,  as  well  as  in  Rome  itself.  Pol.  Vergil, 
ubi  supra.     Extravagantes  Commun.     Lib.  v.  tit.  ix.  c.  1 — 4.] 

[6  Consecrated  drinking-vessels.] 

4 

[  LATIMER.] 


50 


-r.KMOX     I'RKACHKI)     liKl-'OKK     Tills 


[SERM. 


The  feigning 
of  purgatory 
was  an  excel 
lent  inven- 
tion. 


Purgatory 
the  sweet 
darling  of 
worldlings. 


manuaries1  for  handlers  of  relicks,  some  pedaries1  for  pil- 
grims, some  osculariesa  for  kissers :  some  of  them  engendered 
one,  some  other  such  fetures3,  and  every  one  in  that  he  was 
delivered  of,  was  excellent  politic,  wise;  yea,  so  wise,  that  with 
their  wisdom  they  had  almost  made  all  the  world  fools. 

But  yet  they  that  begot  and  brought  forth  that  our  old 
ancient  purgatory  pick-purse ;  that  that  Avas  swaged  and 
cooled  with  a  Franciscan's  cowl,  put  upon  a  dead  man's  back, 
to  the  fourth  part  of  his  sins4 ;  that  that  was  utterly  to  be 
spoiled,  and  of  none  other  but  of  our  most  prudent  lord 
Pope,  and  of  him  as  oft  as  him  listed ;  that  satisfactory,  that 
missal,  that  scalary5 :  they,  I  say,  that  were  the  wise  fathers 
and  genitors  of  this  purgatory,  were  in  my  mind  the  wisest 
of  all  their  generation,  and  so  far  pass  the  children  of  light, 
and  also  the  rest  of  them  company,  that  they  both  are  but 
fools,  if  ye  compare  them  with  these.  It  was  a  pleasant 
fiction,  and  from  the  beginning  so  profitable  to  the  feigners 
of  it,  that  almost,  I  dare  boldly  say,  there  hath  been  no  em- 
peror that  hath  gotten  more  by  taxes  and  tallages  of  them 
that  were  alive,  than  these,  the  very  and  right-begotten  sons 
of  the  world,  got  by  dead  men's  tributes  and  gifts.  If  there 
be  some  in  England,  that  would  this  sweeting  of  the  world 
to  be  with  no  less  policy  kept  still  than  it  was  born  and 
brought  forth  in  Rome,  who  then  can  accuse  Christ  of  lying? 
No,  no ;  as  it  hath  been  ever  true,  so  it  shall  be,  that  the 
children  of  the  world  be  much  wiser,  not  only  in  making 
their  things,   but  also  in  conserving  them.      I  wot  not  what 


[L  Consecrated  gloves  and  sandals.] 

[2  Consecrated  tablets  on  which  were  representations  of  Christ, 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  or  of  some  saint.  Virtues,  pardons,  merits,  &c. 
of  various  kinds  were  supposed  to  be  derived  from  the  purchase 
and  use  of  these  several  consecrated  articles,  e.  g.  the  pardon-bowl 
mentioned  by  Latimer  in  his  sermon  "Of  the  Plough,"  p.  75.] 

[3  Fetures:  births  or  productions.] 

[4  Of  pope  Clement  V.,  for  example,  it  is  related:  "  Sepeliendis 
in  habitu  Minorum  quartam  partem  omnium  peccatorum  remisit." 
Wadding,  Annates  Minorum,  Tom.  vi.  p.  219,  Edit,  2,  Roma?  1773. 
See  also,  Wolf,  Lectiones  Memorab.  Tom.  i.  p.  772,  Francof.  ad  Moan. 
1671.] 

[5  Masses-satisfactory,— soul-masses,— masses  of  scala  cceli.  See 
Becon,  Works,  1560—4.  Vol.  m.  fol.  363.  Stavely,  Romish  Horse- 
leech, Ch.  xxiv.] 


V.]  CONVOCATION    OF    TITR    CLERGY.  51 

it  is,  but  somewhat  it  is  I  wot,  that  some  men  be  so  loth 
to  see  the  abuse  of  this  monster,  purgatory,  which  abuse  is 
more  than  abominable :  as  who  should  say,  there  is  none 
abuse  in  it,  or  else  as  though  there  can  be  none  in  it.  They 
may  seem  heartily  to  love  the  old  thing,  that  thus  earnestly 
endeavour  them  to  restore  him  his  old  name.  They  would 
not  set  an  hair  by  the  name,  but  for  the  thing.  They  be 
not  so  ignorant,  (no,  they  be  crafty,)  but  that  they  know  if 
the  name  come  again,  the  thing  will  come  after.  Thereby 
it  ariseth,  that  some  men  make  their  cracks,  that  they, 
maugre  all  men's  heads,  have  found  purgatory.  I  cannot 
tell  what  is  found.  This,  to  pray  for  dead  folks,  this  is  not  Finder  of 
found,  for  it  was  never  lost.  How  can  that  be  found  that  ios£gs " 
was  not  lost  ?  0  subtle  finders,  that  can  find  things,  if  God 
will,  ere  they  be  lost !  For  that  cowlish  deliverance,  their 
scalary  loosings,  their  papal  spoliations,  and  other  such  their 
figments,  they  cannot  find.  JNo,  these  be  so  lost,  as  they 
themselves  grant,  that  though  they  seek  them  never  so  dili- 
gently, yet  they  shall  not  find  them,  except  perchance  they 
hope  to  see  them  come  in  again  with  their  names ;  and  that 
then  money-gathering  may  return  again,  and  deceit  walk 
about  the  country,  and  so  stablish  their  kingdom  in  all  king- 
doms. But  to  what  end  this  chiding  between  the  children  The  children 
of  the  world  and  the  children  of  light  will  come,  only  he  andtiu-Vhii 
knoweth  that  once  shall  judge  them  both.  cannot  agree. 

Now,  to  make  haste  and  to  come  somewhat  nigher  the 
end.  Go  ye  to,  good  brethren  and  fathers,  for  the  love  of 
God,  go  ye  to ;  and  seeing  we  are  here  assembled,  let  us  do 
something  whereby  we  may  be  known  to  be  the  children  of 
light.  Let  us  do  somewhat,  lest  we,  which  hitherto  have 
been  judged  children  of  the  world,  seem  even  still  to  be  so. 
All  men  call  us  prelates :  then,  seeing  we  be  in  council,  let 
us  so  order  ourselves,  that  we  be  prelates  in  honour  and 
dignity ;  so  we  may  be  prelates  in  holiness,  benevolence, 
diligence,  and  sincerity.  All  men  know  that  Ave  be  here  who  they  he 
gathered,  and  with  most  fervent  desire  they  anheale0,  breathe,  prelate. 
and  gape  for  the  fruit  of  our  convocation :  as  our  acts  shall 
be,  so  they  shall  name  us :  so  that  now  it  lieth  in  us,  whether 
we  will  be  called  children  of  the  world,  or  children  of  light. 

[G  Are  breathlessly  anxious,  (anbrfarej]. 


•"'2  SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE    THK  [sERM. 

Wherefore  lift  up  your  heads,  brethren,  and  look  about 
with  your  eyes,  spy  what  things  are  to  be  reformed  in  the 
church  of  England.  Is  it  so  hard,  is  it  so  great  a  matter 
for  y<m  to  see  many  abuses  in  the  clergy,  many  in  the  laity? 

The  Arches.  What  is  done  in  the  Arches1?  Nothing  to  be  amended? 
What  do  they  there?  Do  they  evermore  rid  the  people's 
business  and  matters,  or  cumber  and  ruffle  them  ?  Do  they 
evermore  correct  vice,  or  else  defend  it,  sometime  being  well 
corrected  in  other  places?  How  many  sentences  be  o-iven 
there  in  time,  as  they  ought  to  be  ?  If  men  say  truth,  how 
many  without  bribes  ?     Or  if  all  things  be  well  done  there, 

Ketones,  what  do  men  in  bishops'  Consistories2  ?  Shall  you  often  see 
the  punishments  assigned  by  the  laws  executed,  or  else 
money-redemptions  used   in  their   stead?      How  think   you 

ceremonies  by  the  ceremonies  that  are  in  England,  oft-times,  with  no 
little  offence  of  weak  consciences,  contemned;  more  oftener 
with  superstition  so  defiled,  and  so  depraved,  that  you  may 
doubt  whether  it  were  better  some  of  them  to  tarry  still,  or 
utterly  to  take  them  away  ?  Have  not  our  forefathers  com- 
plained of  the  ceremonies3,  of  the  superstition,  and  estimation 
of  them  ? 

Holidays.  Do  ye  see  nothing  in  our  holidays  ?  of  the  which  very 

few  were  made  at  the  first,  and  they  to  set  forth  goodness, 
virtue,  and  honesty:  but  sithens,  in  some  places,  there  is 
neither  mean  nor  measure  in  making  new  holidays,  as  who 
should  say,  this  one  thing  is  serving  of  God,  to  make  this 
law,  that  no  man  may  work.      But  what  doth  the  people  on 

hoTy'nVe     these   holidays?     Do  they  give   themselves  to  godliness,  or 

be hoiy.  else  ungodliness?  See  ye  nothing,  brethren?  If  you  see 
not,  yet  God  seeth.     God  seeth  all  the  whole  holidays  to 

hoUdtyT01  be  spent  miserabl}r  in  drunkenness,  in  glossing,  in  strife,  in 
envy,  in  dancing,  dicing,  idleness,  and  gluttony.  He  seeth 
all  this,  and    threatened!   punishment   for  it.      He  seeth  it, 

t1  The  chief  and  most  ancient  Consistory  court  belonging  to  the 
archbishop  of  Canterbury.  The  name  is  derived  from  the  Court  bavin* 
been  formerly  held  in  the  church  of  St  Mary  le  bow,  (S.  Maria  de  Ar- 
cubus).    Blackstone,  Comm.  xv.  3,  c.  v.] 

[2  All  bishops  have  a  Consistory  court  for  the  trial  of  ecclesiastical 
causes  arising  within  their  respective  dioceses.     Blackstone,  ubi  sup  ] 

[3  the  number  of  ceremonies,  1562.] 


V.]  CONVOCATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  5*} 

which  neither  is  deceived  in  seeing,  nor  deccivcth  when  he 
threateneth. 

Thus  men  serve  the  devil ;  for  God  is  not  thus  served, 
albeit  ye  say  ye  serve  God.  No,  the  devil  hath  more 
service  done  unto  him  on  one  holiday,  than  on  many  work- 
ing days.  Let  all  these  abuses  be  counted  as  nothing,  who 
is  he  that  is  not  sorry,  to  see  in  so  many  holidays  rich  and 
wealthy  persons  to  flow  in  delicates,  and  men  that  live  by 
their  travail,  poor  men,  to  lack  necessary  meat  and  drink 
for  their  wives  and  their  children,  and  that  they  cannot 
labour  upon  the  holidays,  except  they  will  be  cited,  and 
brought  before  our  Officials  ?  Were  it  not  the  office  of  good 
prelates  to  consult  upon  these  matters,  and  to  seek  some 
remedy  for  them  ?  Ye  shall  see,  my  brethren,  ye  shall  see 
once,  what  will  come  of  this  our  winking. 

What  think  ye  of  these  images  that  are  had  more  than  The  abuse  of 
their  fellows  in  reputation4 ;  that  are  gone  unto  with  such  images' 
labour  and  weariness  of  the  body,  frequented  with  such  our 
cost,  sought  out  and  visited  with  such  confidence  ?  What  say 
ye  by  these  images,  that  are  so  famous,  so  noble,  so  noted, 
being  of  them  so  many  and  so  divers  in  England  ?  Do  you 
think  that  tins  preferring  of  picture  to  picture,  image  to 
image,  is  the  right  use,  and  not  rather  the  abuse,  of  images  ? 
But  you  will  say  to  me,  Why  make  ye  all  these  interroga- 
tions? and  why,  in  these  your  demands,  do  you  let  and 
withdraw  the  good  devotion  of  the  people  ?  Be  not  all  tilings 
well  done,  that  are  done  with  good  intent,  when  they  be 
profitable  to  us?  So,  surely,  covetousness  both  thinketh  and 
speaketh.  Were  it  not  better  for  us,  more  for  estimation, 
more  meeter  for  men  in  our  places,  to  cut  away  a  piece  of 
this  our  profit,  if  we  will  not  cut  away  all,  than  to  wink  at 
such  ungodliness,  and  so  long  to  wink  for  a  little  lucre ; 
specially  if  it  be  ungodliness,  and  also  seem  unto  you  un- 
godliness ?  These  be  two  things,  so  oft  to  seek  mere  images,  The  visiting 
and  sometime  to  visit  the  relicks  of  saints.  And  yet,  as  in  saints'.1 
those  there  may  be  much  ungodliness  committed,  so  there 
may  here  some  superstition  be  hid,  if  that  sometime  we 
chance   to   visit   pigs'  bones   instead   of  saints'  relicks,  as  in  Pigs- bones. 

[4  "  They  will  make  comparisons  betweene  our  lady  of  Ippiswitch 
and  our  ladie  of  Walsingham :  as  weniug  that  one  image  more  of 
power  then  the  other."     Sir  Thos.  More's  Works,  p.  140,  c] 


54  SERMON     PREACHED     BEFORE    THE  [sERM. 

time  past  it  hath  chanced,  I  had  almost  said,  in  England. 
Then  this  is  too  great  a  blindness,  a  darkness  too  sensible, 
that  these  should  be  so  commended  in  sermons  of  some  men, 
and  preached  to  be  done  after  such  manner,  as  though  they 
could  not  be  evil  done;  which,  notwithstanding,  are  such, 
that  neither  God  nor  man  commandeth  them  to  be  done. 
No,  rather,  men  commanded  them  either  not  to  be  done  at 
all.  or  else  more  slowlicr  and  seldomer  to  be  done,  forasmuch 
a  constitu-  as  our  ancestors  made  this  constitution :  "  We  command  the 
^'■'■'".un-hof  priests,   that   thev  oft  admonish  the  people,  and  in  especial 

England.  i  "  1  /•  i  1   n  .• 

women,  that  they  make  no  vows  but  alter  long  deliberation, 
consent  of  their  husbands,  and  counsel  of  the  priest1."  The 
church  of  England  in  time  past  made  this  constitution.  What 
saw  they  that  made  this  decree  ?  They  saw  the  intolerable 
abuses  of  images.  They  saw  the  perils  that  might  ensue  of 
going  on  pilgrimage.  They  saw  the  superstitious  difference 
that  men  made  between  image  and  image.  Surely,  some- 
what they  saw.  The  constitution  is  so  made,  that  in  manner 
it  takcth  away  all  such  pilgrimages.  For  it  so  plucketh 
away  the  abuse  of  them,  that  it  leaveth  either  none,  or  else 
seldom  use  of  them.  For  they  that  restrain  making  vows 
for  going  of  pilgrimage,  restrain  also  pilgrimage ;  seeing 
that  for  the  most  part  it  is  seen  that  few  go  on  pilgrimage 
but  vow-makers,  and  such  as  by  promise  bind  themselves  to 
go.  And  when,  I  pray  you,  should  a  man's  wife  go  on 
pilgrimage,  if  she  went  not  before  she  had  well  debated  the 
matter  with  herself,  and  obtained  the  consent  of  her  husband, 
being  a  wise  man,  and  were  also  counselled  by  a  learned 
priest  so  to  do  ?  When  should  she  go  far  off  to  these 
famous  images  ?  For  this  the  common  people  of  England 
think  to  be  going  on  pilgrimage ;  to  go  to  some  dead  and 
notable  image  out  of  town,  that  is  to  say,  far  from  their 
house.      Now  if  your  forefathers  made  this  constitution,  and 

[!  The  constitution  alluded  to  is  attributed  to  Edmund,  archbishop 
of  Canterbury  in  the  year  1236.  "  Preecipimus  ut  sacerdotes  ssepe 
moneant  populum,  et  maxime  mulieres,  ne  faciant  vota  sua  nisi  cum 
deliberatione  et  de  consensu  virorum  suorum  et  concilio  sacerdotum." 
Lyndewode,  Provincial,  p.  204,  Oxon.  1679.  See  also  Wilkins, 
Concil.  i.  p.  638.  But  the  constitution  is  actually  of  much  older  date, 
being  found,  in  substance,  in  the  Poenitentiale  of  Theodore,  cap.  xvi. 
v.  23.  Ancient  Laws  and  Institutes  of  England,  Vol.  n.  p.  11,  8vo. 
Edit.    1840.] 


V.]  CONVOCATION     OF    THE    CLERGY.  55 

yet   thereby  did  nothing,   the   abuses   every  day  more  and 
more  increased,  what  is  left  for  you  to  do  ?      Brethren  and 
fathers,  if  ye  purpose  to  do  any  thing,  what  should  ye  sooner  peceiuuiand 
do,  than  to  take  utterly  away  these  deceitful  and  Wo-lins;  a^s  are  to  he 

.  J  o    OO       b  taken  away. 

images ;  or  else,  if  ye  know  any  other  mean  to  put  away 
abuses,  to  shew  it,  if  ye  intend  to  remove  abuses  ?  Methink 
it  should  be  grateful  and  pleasant  to  you  to  mark  the  earnest 
mind  of  your  forefathers,  and  to  look  upon  their  desire  where 
they  say  in  their  constitution,  "We  command  you,"  and  not, 
"We  counsel  you."  How  have  we  been  so  long  a-cold,  so  long 
slack  in  setting  forth  so  wholesome  a  precept  of  the  church 
of  England,  where  we  be  so  hot  in  all  things  that  have  any 
gains  in  them,  albeit  they  be  neither  commanded  us,  nor  yet 
given  us  by  counsel;  as  though  we  had  lever  the  abuse  of 
things  should  tarry  still  than,  it  taken  away,  lose  our  profit  ? 
To  let  pass  the  solemn  and  nocturnal  bacchanals,  the  pre- 
script miracles,  that  are  done  upon  certain  days  in  the  west 

part   of  England,   who  hath   not  heard?      I  think  ye  have  vigils  and 

0  .  night  watch- 

heard  of  St  Blesis's2  heart  which  is   at  Malverne,  and   ofinss- 

St  AlgarV  bones,  how  long  they  deluded  the  people :  I  am 

afraid,  to  the  loss  of  many  souls.      Whereby  men  may  well 

conjecture,  that  all   about  in  this  realm  there  is  plenty  of 

such  juggling  deceits.      And  yet  hitherto  ye  have  sought  no 

remedy.      But  even  still  the  miserable  people  are  suffered  to 

take  the  false  miracles  for  the  true,  and  to  lie  still  asleep  in 

all  kind  of  superstition.      God  have  mercy  upon  us ! 

Last  of  all,  how  think  you  of  matrimony  ?     Is  all  well  Matrimony. 
here  ?     What  of  baptism  ?      Shall  we  evermore  in  minister- 
ing of  it  speak  Latin,  and  not  in  English4  rather,  that  the 
people  may  know  what  is  said  and  done  ? 

What  think  ye  of  these  mass-priests,  and  of  the  masses 
themselves  ?     What  say  ye  ?     Be  all  things  here  so  without 
abuses,  that  nothing  ought  to  be  amended  ?    Your  forefathers  0^™^ 
saw   somewhat,    which    made    this   constitution5   against   the  soid.en  ' 

[-'  Probably  St  Blaise.] 

[3  Probably  Algar  the  father  of  Freraond,  the  latter  being  a  Mer- 
cian saint  in  great  odour.    Cressy,  Ch.  Hist.  Book  xxvn.  ch.  xxix.] 

[4  not  English,  1562,  1571.] 

[5  The  allusion  seems  to  be  to  the  mandate  of  Simon  Islip,  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  (1350),  which  recites:  Quod  sacerdotes  qui  jam 
supersunt...curas  animarum  gerere  negligunt...quinimmo  eis  penitus 


06  SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE    THE  [sEKM. 

venality  and  sale  of  masses,  that,  under  pain  of  suspending, 
no  priest  should  sell  his  saying  of  tricennals1  or  annals2. 
What  saw  they,  that  made  this  constitution?  What  priests 
saw  they"?  What  manner  of  masses  saw  they,  trow  ye? 
But  at  the  last,  what  became  of  so  good  a  constitution  ?  God 
have  mercy  upon  us !  If  there  be  nothing  to  be  amended 
abroad,  concerning  the  whole,  let  every  one  of  us  make 
one  better:  if  there  be  neither  abroad  nor  at  home  any 
thing  to  be  amended  and  redressed,  my  lords,  be  ye  of 
good  cheer,  be  merry  ;  and  at  the  least,  because  we  have 
nothing  else  to  do,  let  us  reason  the  matter  how  we  may 
be  richer.  Let  us  fall  to  some  pleasant  communication ; 
after  let  us  go  home,  even  as  good  as  we  came  hither,  that 
is,  right-begotten  children  of  the  world,  and  utterly  world- 
lings. And  while  we  live  here,  let  us  all  make  bone  cheer3. 
For  after  this  life  there  is  small  pleasure,  little  mirth  for 
us  to  hope  for ;  if  now  there  be  nothing  to  be  changed  in 
our  fashions.  Let  us  say,  not  as  St  Peter  did,  "  Our  end 
approacheth  nigh,"  this  is  an  heavy  hearing ;  but  let  us  say 
as  the  evil  servant  said,  "  It  will  be  long  ere  my  master 
come."  This  is  pleasant.  Let  us  beat  our  fellows :  let  us 
eat  and  drink  with  drunkards.  Surely,  as  oft  as  we  do 
not  take  away  the  abuse  of  things,  so  oft  we  beat  our  fellows. 
As  oft  as  we  give  not  the  people  their  true  food,  so  oft  we 

derelictis,  ad  celebranda  annualia  et  ad  alia  peculiaria  se  conferunt 
obsequia...pro  eorum  servitiis  stipendia  exigunt  excessiva,"  &c.  The 
provisions  of  this  mandate  had  frequently  to  be  re-enacted  in  after 
times.  Wilkins,  Concilia,  &c.  hi.  pp.  1,  15,  135,  and  also,  Lyndewode, 
pp.  228  et  seq.    See  also  Pegge,  Life  of  Bishop  Grosteste,  p.  318,  n.  18.] 

[!  Tricennals  or  Trentals — "a  trentall  of  masses  :... What  masses 
shoulde  they  be?  Thre  Masses  of  the  nativity  of  our  Lord:  Thre 
Masses  of  the  Epiphanie  of  our  Lord :  Thre  of  the  purification  of  our 
Lady :  Thre  of  the  annunciation  of  our  Lady :  Thre  of  the  resurrection 
of  our  Lord :  Thre  of  the  ascension  of  our  Lord :  Thre  of  Penthecost : 
Thre  of  the  Trinitie :  Thre  of  the  assumption  of  our  Lady ;  And  of 
her  nativitie ;  so  that  these  masses  be  celebrated  within  the  octaves  of 
the  said  feasts."     Becon,  Works,  in,  fol.  366.] 

[2  "Annals  or  Annuals  was  a  yearly  mass  said  for  a  certain  dead 
person,  upon  the  anniversary  day  of  his  death."  Johnson,  Collection 
of  all  the  Ecclesiastical  Laws,  &c.  Vol.  n.  anno  1236,  n.  8.  A  mass 
said  for  the  soul  of  a  deceased  person  every  day  for  a  whole  year,  was 
also  called  an  Ajuial.] 

[3  bonne  chere. } 


V.J  CONVOCATION    OV    THE    CLERGY.  57 

beat  our  fellows.      As  oft  as  we  let  tliem  die  in  superstition, 

so  oft  we  beat  them.      To  be  short,  as  oft  as  we  blind  lead 

them  blind,  so  oft  we  beat,  and  grievously  beat4  our  fellows. 

When  we  welter  in  pleasures  and  idleness,  then  we  cat  and 

drink  with  drunkards.      But  God  will  come,  God  will  come, 

he  will  not  tarry  long  away.      He  will    come  upon  such  a 

day  as  we  nothing  look  for  him,  and  at  such  hour  as  avc 

know  not.      He  will   come  and  cut  us  in  pieces.      He  will 

reward  us  as.  he  doth  the  hypocrites.      He  will  set  us  where 

wailing  shall  bo,  my  brethren ;   where  gnashing  of  teeth  shall 

be,  my  brethren.      And  let  here  be  the  end  of  our  tragedy, 

if  ye  will.      These  be  the  delicate  dishes  prepared  for  the  The  delicate 

world's    well-beloved    children.       These   be   the   wafers    and  the'XTdmi 

i  •tip  n  i  •!•  i  of  this  world. 

junkets  provided  tor  worldly  prelates, — wailing  and  gnashing 
of  teeth.  Can  there  be  any  mirth,  where  these  two  courses 
last  all  the  feast?  Here  we  laugh,  there  we  shall  weep. 
Our  teeth  make  merry  here,  ever  dashing  in  delicates ;  there 
we  shall  be  torn  with  teeth,  and  do  nothing  but  gnash  and 
grind  our  own.  To  what  end  have  we  now  excelled  other 
in  policy  ?  What  have  we  brought  forth  at  the  last  ?  Ye  see, 
brethren,  what  sorrow,  what  punishment  is  provided  for  you, 
if  ye  be  worldlings.  If  ye  will  not  thus  be  vexed,  be  ye  not 
the  children  of  the  world.  If  ye  will  not  be  the  children  of 
the  world,  be  not  stricken  with  the  love  of  worldly  things ; 
lean  not  upon  them.  If  ye  will  not  die  eternally,  live  not 
worldly.  Come,  go  to  ;  leave  the  love  of  your  profit5 ;  study 
for  the  glory  and  profit  of  Christ ;  seek  in  your  consultations 
such  things  as  pertain  to  Christ,  and  bring  forth  at  the  last 
somewhat  that  may  please  Christ.  Feed  ye  tenderly,  with 
all  diligence,  the  flock  of  Christ.  Preach  truly  the  word  of 
God.  Love  the  light,  walk  in  the  light,  and  so  be  ye  the 
children  of  light  while  ye  are  in  this  world,  that  ye  may 
shine  in  the  world  that  is  to  come  bright  as  the  sun,  with 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  to  whom  be  all 
honour,  praise,  and  glory.      Amen. 

[4  grievously  strike,  1562,  1571.] 

[5  "  Come  go  to,  my  brothers,  go  to,  I  say  again,  and  once  again,  go 
to;  leave  the  love  of  your  profit."  1562,  1571.] 

[The    picture   of  superstitions,   of  clerical  misdoings,   and   papal 
abuses,  which  this  Sermon  presents,  will  not  appear  too  highly  coloured 


58  SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE    THE    CLERGY.       [sERM.   V.] 

to  any  who  are  at  all  acquainted  with  the  then  existing  state  of  things. 
Dean  Colet  had,  twenty-five  years  earlier,  preached  a  sermon  before 
the  convocation,  in  which  he  dwelt  on  the  need  of  a  Reformation,  in 
language  quite  as  strong  as  that  employed  by  bishop  Latimer.  See 
Knight's  Life  of  Colet,  pp.  289 — 308.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to 
remind  the  learned  reader  of  the  enumeration  of  abuses  contained  in 
the  Appendix  to  Wicelius'  Via  Regia,  nor  of  those  recited  in  the 
memorial  presented  to  pope  Paul  III.  by  the  Cardinals  Contarini, 
Sadolet,  Pole,  and  other  eminent  Romanists.] 


A   SERMON  OF    THE   REVEREND   FATHER   MASTER   HUGH 

LATIMER,  PREACHED  IN  THE  SHROUDS'  AT  PAUL'S 

CHURCH    IN   LONDON,   ON   THE   EIGHTEENTH 

DAY   OF  JANUARY,   ANNO    1548. 


Qucecunque  scripta  sunt  adnostram  doctrinam  scripta  sunt. — Rom.  xv.  4. 

"All  things  which  are  written,  arc  written  for  our  eru- [The  rest  of 

.  .  .  these  ser- 

dition  and  knowledge.      All  things  that  are  written  in  God's  mora  on  the 
book,  in  the  Bible  book,  in  the  book  of  the  holy  scripture,  not  yet  come 

*  *■  to  oiii'  hands. 

are  written  to  be  our  doctrine."  Edit  1562 1 

I  told  you  in  my  first  sermon,  honourable  audience,  that 
I  purposed  to  declare  unto  you  two  things.  The  one,  what 
seed  should  be  sown  in  God's  field,  in  God's  plough  land ; 
and  the  other,  who  should  be  the  sowers  :  that  is  to  say, 
what  doctrine  is  to  be  taught  in  Christ's  church  and  congre- 
gation, and  what  men  should  be  the  teachers  and  preachers 
of  it.  The  first  part  I  have  told  you  in  the  three  sermons 
past,  in  which  I  have  assayed  to  set  forth  my  plough,  to 
prove  what  I  could  do.  And  now  I  shall  tell  you  who 
be  the  ploughers :  for  God's  word  is  a  seed  to  be  sown 
in  God's  field,  that  is,  the  faithful  congregation,  and  the 
preacher  is  the  sower.  And  it  is  in  the  gospel :  "Exivit 
qui  seminat  seminare  semen  mum;  "He  that  soweth,  the  [Luke  vm. 
husbandman,  the  ploughman,  went  forth  to  sow  his  seed." 
So  that  a  preacher  is  resembled  to  a  ploughman,  as  it  is  in 
another  place  :  Nemo  admota  aratro  manu,  et  a  tergo  re- 
spiciens,  aptus  est  regno  Dei.  "No  man  that  putteth  his  Luke ix. 
hand  to  the  plough,  and  looketh  back,  is  apt  for  the  king- 
dom of  God."  That  is  to  say,  let  no  preacher  be  negligent 
in  doing  his  office.      Albeit  this  is  one  of  the  places  that  hath 

[!  The  sermons  usually  preached  at  St  Paul's  Cross  were,  in  rainy 
or  inclement  ■weather,  "preached  in  a  place  called  The  Shrouds,  which 
was,  as  it  seems,  by  the  side  of  the  cathedral  church  where  was  cover- 
ing and  shelter."  Stow,  View  of  London,  &c.  Edited  by  Strype,  Book 
in.  p.  149.] 


60 


SERMON    OK    THE     PLOUGH. 


[sERM. 


scripture 
racked  or 
misunder- 
stood. 


The  right 
understand- 
ing i>f  tins 
place. 


been  racked1,  as  I  told  you  of  racking  scriptures.  And  I 
have  been  one  of  them  myself  that  hath  racked  it,  I  cry  God 
mercy  for  it ;  and  have  been  one  of  them  that  have  believed 
and  expounded  it  against  religious  persons  that  would  forsake 
their  order  which  they  had  professed,  and  would  go  out  of 
their  cloister :  whereas  indeed  it  toucheth  not  monkery,  nor 
maketh  any  thing  at  all  for  any  such  matter ;  but  it  is 
directly  spoken  of  diligent  preaching  of  the  word  of  God. 

For  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  one  of  God's  plough- 
works,  and  the  preacher  is  one  of  God's  ploughmen.  Ye 
may  not  be  offended  with  my  similitude,  in  that  I  compare 
preaching  to  the  labour  and  work  of  ploughing,  and  the 
preacher  to  a  ploughman :  ye  may  not  be  offended  with  this 
my  similitude ;  for  I  have  been  slandered  of  some  persons 
for  such  tilings.  It  hath  been  said  of  me,  "  Oh,  Latimer ! 
nay,  as  for  him,  I  will  never  believe  him  while  I  live,  nor 
never  trust  him;  for  he  likened  our  blessed  lady  to  a  saffron- 
bag2  :"  where  indeed  I  never  used  that  similitude.  But  it 
was,  as  I  have  said  unto  you  before  now,  according  to  that 
which  Peter  saw  before  in  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  and  said, 
that  there  should  come  after  men  per  quos  via  veritatis 
nialedictis  afficeretur ;  there  should  come  fellows  "by  whom 
the  way  of  truth  should  be  evil  spoken  of,  and  slandered." 
But  in  case  I  had  used  this  similitude,  it  had  not  been  to  be 
reproved,  but  might  have  been  without  reproach.  For  I 
might  have  said  thus :  as  the  saffron-bag  that  hath  been  full 
of  saffron,  or  hath  had  saffron  in  it,  doth  ever  after  savour 
and  smell  of  the  sweet  saffron  that  it  contained ;  so  our 
blessed  lady,  which  conceived  and  bare  Christ  in  her  womb, 
did  ever  after  resemble  the  manners  and  virtues  of  that 
precious  babe  that  she  bare.  And  what  had  our  blessed 
lady  been  the  worse  for  this?  or  what  dishonour  was  this 
to  our  blessed  lady  ?  But  as  preachers  must  be  wary  and 
circumspect,  that  they  give  not  any  just  occasion  to  be 
slandered  and  ill  spoken  of  by  the  hearers,  so  must  not  the 


[!  Allusion  is  made  to  the  popish  application  of  this  scripture  to 
the  case  of  monastic  vows.] 

[2  Among  the  "  erroneous  opinions  complained  of  in  convocation," 
15o6,  was  "that  our  lady  was  no  better  than  another  woman,  ami  lik< 
a  bag  of  pepper  or  saffron  when  the  spice  is  out."  Wilkins,  Concil.  in. 
p.  806.] 


VI.  J  SERMON     OF     THE    PLOUGH.  fil 

auditors  be  offended  without  cause.      For  heaven  is  in   the  similitudes 
gospel  likened  to  a  mustard-seed :  it  is  compared  also  to  a  gospel 
piece  of  leaven;  and  as  Christ  saith,  that  at  the  last  day  he 
will  come  like  a  thief :  and  what  dishonour  is  this  to  God  ? 
or  what  derogation  is  this  to  heaven  ?     Ye  may  not  then, 
I  say,  be   offended  with   my  similitude,  for  because   I  liken 
preaching    to    a    ploughman's    labour,    and    a    prelate   to   a 
ploughman.     But  now  you  will  ask  me,  whom  I  call  a  pre- 
late?    A  prelate  is  that  man,  whatsoever  he  be,  that  hath  what  a  pre 
a  flock  to  be  taught  of  him ;   whosoever  hath  any  spiritual 
charge   in  the  faithful  congregation,   and  whosoever   he   be 
that  hath  cure   of  souls.      And  well  may  the  preacher  and  how  the 
the  ploughman  be  likened  together :  first,   for  their  labour  ukeaned'toS 
of  all  seasons  of  the  year ;   for  there  is  no  time  of  the  year  man- 
in  which  the  ploughman  hath  not  some  special  work  to  do : 
as  in  my  country  in   Leicestershire,  the  ploughman  hath  a 
time  to  set  forth,  and  to  assay  his  plough,  and  other  times 
for  other  necessary  works  to  be  done.      And  then  they  also 
may  be   likened   together   for   the    diversity  of  works   and 
variety  of  offices  that  they  have  to  do.     For  as  the  plough- 
man first  setteth  forth  his  plough,  and  then  tilleth  his  land, 
and  breaketh  it  in  furrows,  and  sometime  ridgeth  it  up  again ; 
and  at  another  time  harroweth  it  and  clotteth  it,  and  some- 
time dungeth  it  and  hedgeth  it,  diggeth  it  and  weedeth  it, 
purgeth  and  maketh  it  clean :  so  the  prelate,  the  preacher,  The  prelate 
hath  many  diverse  offices  to  do.      He  hath  first  a  busy  work  offices, 
to  bring  his  parishioners  to  a  right  faith,  as  Paul  calleth  it, 
and  not  a  swerving  faith ;  but  to  a  faith  that  embraceth  Christ, 
and  trusteth  to  his  merits ;   a  lively  faith,  a  justifying  faith  ; 
a  faith   that   maketh  a   man   righteous,   without  respect   of 
works  :  as   ye  have   it  very  well  declared  and  set  forth  in 
the  Homily3.      He  hath  then  a  busy  work,  I  say,  to  bring 
his  flock  to  a  right  faith,  and  then  to  confirm  them  in  the 
same  faith  :  now  casting  them  down  with  the  law,  and  with  The  law 
threatenings  of  God  for  sin;  now  ridging  them  up  again  with 
the   gospel,  and  with  the  promises   of   God's  favour :    now 
weeding  them,  by  telling  them  their  faults,  and  making  them 
forsake   sin ;    now   clotting   them,    by   breaking   their    stony  Thegospti 
hearts,  and  by  making  them  supplehearted,  and  making  them  "" 
to  have  hearts  of  flesh ;  that  is,  soft  hearts,  and  apt  for  doc- 
[3  "  Of  a  true  and  lively  faith."] 


it-u.ir  I 


62  SERMON     OF    THE    PLOUGH.  [sERM. 

trine  to  enter  in  :  now  teaching  to  know  God  rightly,  and 
to  know  their  duty  to  God  and  their  neighbours  :  now  ex- 
horting them,  when  they  know  their  duty,  that  they  do  it, 
and  he  diligent  in  it;  so  that  they  have  a  continual  work 
to  do.  Great  is  their  business,  and  therefore  great  should 
He  that  be  their  hire.  They  have  great  labours,  and  therefore  they 
worthy  of18  ought  to  have  good  livings,  that  they  may  commodiously 
feed  their  flock ;  for  the  preaching  of  the  word  of  God  unto 
the  people  is  called  meat :  scripture  calleth  it  meat ;  not 
strawberries1,  that  come  but  once  a  year,  and  tarry  not  long, 
but  are  soon  gone  :  but  it  is  meat,  it  is  no  dainties.  The 
people  must  have  meat  that  must  lie  familiar  and  continual. 
Preaching  is  and  daily  given  unto  them  to  feed  upon.  Many  make  a 
(.uvnu.it.  s^rawkerry  0f  }(•_  ministering  it  but  once  a  year;  but  such 
do  not.  the  office  of  good  prelates.  For  Christ  saith,  Quis 
putas  est  servus  prudens  et  fidelis  ?  Qui  dot  cibum  in 
tempore.  "  Who  think  you  is  a  wise  and  a  faithful  servant? 
He  that  giveth  meat  in  due  time."  So  that  he  must  at  all 
times  convenient  preach  diligently  :  therefore  saith  he,  "Who 
trow  ye  is  a  faithful  servant  ?"  He  speaketh  it  as  though 
it  Avere  a  rare  thing  to  find  such  a  one,  and  as  though  he 
should  say,  there  be  but  a  few  of  them  to  find  in  the  world. 
And  how  few  of  them  there  be  throughout  this  realm  that 
give  meat  to  their  flock  as  they  should  do,  the  Visitors  can 
best  tell.  Too  few,  too  few ;  the  more  is  the  pity,  and  never 
so  few  as  now. 

By  this,  then,  it  appeareth  that  a  prelate,  or  any  that 

hath  cure  of  soul,  must  diligently  and  substantially  work  and 

labour.      Therefore  saith  Paul  to  Timothy,  Qui  episcopatum 

desiderat,  hie  bonum  opus  desiderat :  "He  that  desireth  to 

a  bishop      have  the  office  of  a  bishop,  or  a  prelate,  that  man  desireth 

u'm  labour  in  a  good  work."      Then  if  it  be  a  good  work,  it  is  work  ;   ye 

vest.    '        can  make  but  a  work  of  it.      It  is  God's  work,  God's  plough, 

and  that   plough   God  would  have  still  going.      Such   then 

[*  This  expression  which  Latimer  made  use  of  to  designate  the 
non-residents  of  his  day,  who  only  visited  their  cures  once  a  year, 
became  proverbial.  A  bachelor  of  divinity,  named  Oxenbridge,  in  a 
sermon  preached  at  St  Paul's  Cross,  Jan.  13,  1566,  says,  "I  will  shew 
you  the  state  and  condition  of  this  my  mother  Oxford ;  for  a  pitious 
case  it  is,  that  now  in  all  Oxford  there  is  not  past  five  or  six  preachers, 
I  except  strawberry  preachers.'''     Watktxs.] 


VI.]  SERMON    OF    THE    PLOUGH.  Ii,*> 

as  loiter  and  live  idly,  are  not  good  prelates,  or  ministers. 
And  of  such  as  do  not  preach  and  teach,  nor  do  their  duties, 
God  saith  by  his  prophet  Jeremy,  Maledictus  qui  facit  opus 
Dei  fradulenter ;  "  Cursed  be  the  man  that  doth  the  work 
of  God  fraudulently,  guilefully  or  deceitfully  :"  some  books 
have  it  negligenter,  "negligently  or  slackly."  How  many  a  terrible 
such  prelates,  how  many  such  bishops,  Lord,  for  thy  mercy,  u%'"™'i'nnK 
are  there  now  in  England !  And  what  shall  we  in  this  case 
do  ?  shall  wq  company  with  them  ?  0  Lord,  for  thy  mercy  ! 
shall  we  not  company  with  them  ?  0  Lord,  whither  shall 
we  flee  from  them  ?  But  "  cursed  be  he  that  doth  the  work 
of  God  negligently  or  guilefully."  A  sore  word  for  them 
that  are  negligent  in  discharging  their  office,  or  have  done 
it  fraudulently  ;  for  that  is  the  thing  that  maketh  the  peo- 
ple ill. 

But  true  it  must  be  that  Christ  saith,  Multi  sunt  vocati,  Mat.  xxu. 
pauci  vero  electi :  "  Many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen." 
Here  have  I  an  occasion  by  the  way  somewhat  to  say  unto 
you ;  yea,  for  the  place  I  alleged  unto  you  before  out  of 
Jeremy,  the  forty-eighth  chapter.  And  it  was  spoken  of  Jer.  xivih. 
a  spiritual  work  of  God,  a  work  that  was  commanded  to  be 
done ;  and  it  was  of  shedding  blood,  and  of  destroying  the 
cities  of  Moab.  For,  saith  he,  "  Cursed  be  he  that  keepeth 
back  his  sword  from  shedding  of  blood."  As  Saul,  when  he 
kept  back  the  sword  from  shedding  of  blood  at  what  time 
he  was  sent  against  Amaleck,  was  refused  of  God  for  being 
disobedient  to  God's  commandment,  in  that  he  spared  Agag 
the  king.  So  that  that  place  of  the  prophet  was  spoken  of 
them  that  went  to  the  destruction  of  the  cities  of  Moab. 
among  the  which  there  was  one  called  Nebo,  which  was 
much  reproved  for  idolatry,  superstition,  pride,  avarice, 
cruelty,  tyranny,  and  for  hardness  of  heart;  and  for  these 
sins  was  plagued  of  God  and  destroyed. 

Now  what  shall  we  say  of  these  rich  citizens  of  London  ?  £0*|™™f l' 
What  shall  I  say  of  them  ?  Shall  I  call  them  proud  men  of 
London,  malicious  men  of  London,  merciless  men  of  London  ? 
No,  no,  I  may  not  say  so  ;  they  will  be  offended  with  me 
then.  Yet  must  I  speak.  For  is  there  not  reigning  in 
London  as  much  pride,  as  much  covetousness,  as  much 
cruelty,  as  much  oppression,  and  as  much  superstition,  as 
was  in  Nebo  ?   Yes,  I  think,  and  much  more  too.     Therefore 


64  SERMON    OF    THE     PLOUGH.  [sERM. 

I    say,   repent,   0   London;    repent,    repent.      Thou    nearest 

thy  faults  told  thee,    amend  them,    amend  them.      I  think, 

if  Nebo  had  had  the  preaching  that  thou  hast,  they  would 

\  warning  to  have  converted.      And,   you  rulers  and  officers,   be  wise  and 

rulers  and  « 

'•'"•^  circumspect,  look  to  your  charge,  and  see  you  do  your 
duties ;  and  rather  be  glad  to  amend  your  ill  living  than  to 
bo  angry  when  you  are  warned  or  told  of  your  fault.  What 
ado  was  there  made  in  London  at  a  certain  man,  because  he 
said,  (and  indeed  at  that  time  on  a  just  cause,)  "  Burgesses !" 
quoth  he,  "  nay,  Butterflies.'"  Lord,  what  ado  there  was 
for  that  word !  And  yet  would  God  they  were  no  worse  than 
butterflies !  Butterflies  do  but  their  nature :  the  butterfly 
is  not  covetous,  is  not  greedy,  of  other  men's  goods;  is  not 
full  of  envy  and  hatred,  is  not  malicious,  is  not  cruel,  is  not 
merciless.  The  butterfly  glorieth  not  in  her  own  deeds, 
nor  preferreth  the  traditions  of  men  before  God's  word ;  it 
committeth  not  idolatry,  nor  worshippeth  false  gods.  But 
London  cannot  abide  to  be  rebuked ;  such  is  the  nature  of 
man.  If  they  be  pricked,  they  will  kick ;  if  they  be  rubbed 
on  the  gall,  they  will  wince ;  but  yet  they  will  not  amend 
their  faults,  they  will  not  be  ill  spoken  of.  But  how  shall  I 
speak  Avell  of  them  ?  If  you  could  be  content  to  receive 
and  follow  the  word  of  God,  and  favour  good  preachers, 
if  you  could  bear  to  be  told  of  your  faults,  if  you  could 
amend  when   you  hear  of  them,   if  you  would  be  glad  to 

Londoners  reform  that  is  amiss ;  if  I  might  see  any  such  inclination 
11 '  in  you,  that  you  would  leave  to  be  merciless,  and  begin  to 
be  charitable,  I  would  then  hope  well  of  you,  I  would  then 
speak  well  of  you.  But  London  was  never  so  ill  as  it  is 
now.  In  times  past  men  were  full  of  pity  and  compassion, 
but  now  there  is  no  pity ;  for  in  London  their  brother  shall 
die  in  the  streets  for  cold,  he  shall  lie  sick  at  the  door 
between  stock  and  stock,  I  cannot  tell  what  to  call  it,  and 
perish  there  for  hunger  :  was  there  ever  more  unmercifulness 

The  relief  of  in  Nebo  ?   I  think  not.      In  times  past,  when  any  rich  man 

poor  scholars    i-i-TJ  ,,  , 

by  the  rich    uica  in  London,  they  were  wont  to  help  the  poor  scholars 

in  London  is  J  1  1 

gone,  oi  the   Universities  with  exhibition.      When  any  man  died, 

they  would  bequeath  great  sums  of  money  toward  the  relief 
of  the  poor.  When  I  was  a  scholar  in  Cambridge  myself, 
I  heard  very  good  report  of  London,  and  knew  many  that 
had  relief  of  the  rich  men  of  London:   but  now   I  can  hear 


VI.  1  SERMON    OF    THE    PLOUGH.  65 

no  such  good  report,  and  yet  I  inquire  of  it,  and  hearken 
for  it ;  but  now  charity  is  waxen  cold,  none  helpeth  the  charity  is 
scholar,  nor  yet  the  poor.  And  in  those  days,  what  did  they  Sniondon. 
when  they  helped  the  scholars?  Marry,  they  maintained 
and  gave  them  livings  that  were  very  papists,  and  professed 
the  pope's  doctrine:  and  now  that  the  knowledge  of  God's 
word  is  brought  to  light,  and  many  earnestly  study  and 
labour  to  set  it  forth,  now  almost  no  man  helpeth  to  maintain 
them. 

Oh  London,  London!  repent,  repent;  for  I  think  God 
is  more  displeased  with  London  than  ever  he  was  with  the 
city  of  Nebo.  Repent  therefore,  repent,  London,  and  re- 
member that  the  same  God  liveth  now  that  punished  Nebo, 
even  the  same  God,  and  none  other;  and  he  will  punish 
sin  as  well  now  as  he  did  then:  and  he  will  punish  the 
iniquity  of  London,  as  well  as  he  did  then  of  Nebo.  Amend 
therefore.    And  ye  that  be  prelates,  look  well  to  your  office ;  An  admoni- 

«  L  i  1  1  •  tl0n  tf>  ')re" 

for  right  prelating  is  busy  labouring,  and  not  lordmg.  fctes. 
Therefore  preach  and  teach,  and  let  your  plough  be  doing.  ' 
Ye  lords,  I  say,  that  live  like  loiterers,  look  well  to  your 
office;  the  plough  is  your  office  and  charge.  If  you  live 
idle  and  loiter,  you  do  not  your  duty,  you  follow  not  your 
vocation :  let  your  plough  therefore  be  going,  and  not  cease, 
that  the  ground  may  bring  forth  fruit. 

But  now  methinketh  I  hear  one  say  unto  me :  Wot  ye  An  answer j 
what  you  say?  Is  it  a  work?  Is  it  a  labour?  How  then 
hath  it  happened  that  we  have  had  so  many  hundred  years 
so  many  unpreaching  prelates,  lording  loiterers,  and  idle 
ministers?  Ye  would  have  me  here  to  make  answer,  and 
to  shew  the  cause  thereof.  Nay,  this  land  is  not  for  me  to 
plough;  it  is  too  stony,  too  thorny,  too  hard  for  me  to 
plough.  They  have  so  many  things  that  make  for  them, 
so  many  things  to  lay  for  themselves,  that  it  is  not  for  my 
weak  team  to  plough  them.  They  have  to  lay  for  them- 
selves long  customs,  ceremonies  and  authority,  placing  in 
parliament,  and  many  things  more.  And  I  fear  me  this 
land  is  not  yet  ripe  to  be  ploughed:  for,  as  the  saying  is, 
it  lacketh  weathering  :  tins  gear  lacketh  weathering ;  at  least 
way  it  is  not  for  me  to  plough.  For  what  shall  I  look  for 
among  thorns,  but  pricking  and  scratching?  What  among 
stones,   but  stumbling?     What  (I  had  almost  said)  among 

5 
[latimer.] 


an  objection. 


66  SKRMON    OF    THE     PLOUGH.  [l 

serpents,  but  stinging?  But  this  much  I  dare  say,  that 
LonMnghath  sinCe  lording  and  loitering  hath  come  up,  preaching  hath 
preaching.  come  dowri)  contrary  to  the  apostles'  times :  for  they  preach- 
ed and  lorded  not,  and  now  they  lord  and  preach  not.  For 
they  that  be  lords  will  ill  go  to  plough :  it  is  no  meet  office 
for  them ;  it  is  not  seeming  for  their  estate.  Thus  came  up 
lording  loiterers :  thus  crept  in  unpreaching  prelates ;  and  so 
have  they  long  continued.  For  how  many  unlearned  prelates 
have  we  now  at  this  day !  And  no  marvel :  for  if  the 
ploughmen  that  now  be  were  made  lords,  they  would  clean 
give  over  ploughing ;  they  would  leave  off  their  labour, 
and  fall  to  lording  outright,  and  let  the  plough  stand :  and 
then  both  ploughs  not  walking,  nothing  should  be  in  the 
The  necessity  commonweal  but  hunger.  For  ever  since  the  prelates  were 
made  lords  and  nobles,  the  plough  standeth ;  there  is  no  work 
done,  the  people  starve.  They  hawk,  they  hunt,  they  card, 
they  dice;  they  pastime  in  their  prelacies  with  gallant  gentle- 
men, with  their  dancing  minions,  and  with  their  fresh  com- 
panions, so  that  ploughing  is  set  aside :  and  by  their  lording 
and  loitering,  preaching  and  ploughing  is  clean  gone.  And 
thus  if  the  ploughmen  of  the  country  were  as  negligent  in 
their  office  as  prelates  be,  we  should  not  long  live,  for  lack 
of  sustenance.  And  as  it  is  necessary  for  to  have  this 
ploughing  for  the  sustentation  of  the  body,  so  must  we  have 
also  the  other  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  soul,  or  else  we 
Anaptsimi-  cannot  live  long  ghostly.  For  as  the  body  wasteth  and 
consumeth  away  for  lack  of  bodily  meat,  so  doth  the  soul 
two  kinds  of  pine  away  for  default  of  ghostly  meat.  But  there  be  two 
kinds  of  inclosing,  to  let  or  hinder  both  these  kinds  of 
ploughing ;  the  one  is  an  inclosing  to  let  or  hinder  the 
bodily  ploughing,  and  the  other  to  let  or  hinder  the  holiday- 
ploughing,  the  church-ploughing. 

The  bodily  ploughing  is  taken  in  and  inclosed  through 
singular  commodity.  For  what  man  will  let  go,  or  diminish 
his  private  commodity  for  a  commonwealth?  And  who  will 
sustain  any  damage  for  the  respect  of  a  public  commodity  ? 
The  other  plough  also  no  man  is  diligent  to  set  forward, 
nor  no  man  will  hearken  to  it.  But  to  hinder  and  let  it 
all  men's  ears  are  open ;  yea,  and  a  great  many  of  this 
kind  of  ploughmen,  which  are  very  busy,  and  would  seem 
to  be  very  good  workmen.     I  fear  me  some  be  rather  mock- 


VI.]  SERMON     OF    THE    PLOUGH.  67 

gospellers,  than  faithful  ploughmen.      I  know  many  myself  Mock gospei- 
that  profess  the  gospel,  and  live  nothing  thereafter.      I  know 
them,  and  have  been  conversant  with  some  of  them.     I  know 
them,  and  (I  speak  it  with  a  heavy  heart)  there  is  as  little 
charity  and  good  living  in  them  as  in  any  other ;   according 
to  that  which  Christ  said  in  the  gospel  to  the  great  number 
of  people  that  followed  him,  as  though  they  had  had  any 
earnest  zeal  to  his  doctrine,  whereas  indeed  they  had  it  not ; 
Non  quia  vidistis  signa,  sect  quia  comedistis  de  panibus.  Gam  be^t 
"Ye  follow  me,"  saith  he,  "not  because  ye  have  seen  the  signs  iers.gos' 
and  miracles  that  I  have  done ;   but  because  ye  have  eaten 
the  bread,   and  refreshed  your  bodies,  therefore  you  follow 
me."      So  that  I  think  many  one  now-a-days  professeth  the 
gospel  for  the  living's  sake,  not  for  the  love  they  bear  to 
God's  word.      But  they  that  will  be  true  ploughmen  must 
work   faithfully  for    God's   sake,   for   the   edifying  of  their 
brethren.      And  as  diligently  as  the  husbandman  plougheth 
for   the   sustentation   of   the  body,    so   diligently   must   the 
prelates  and  ministers  labour   for  the  feeding  of  the  soul : 
both  the  ploughs  must  still  be  going,  as  most  necessary  for 
man.      And  wherefore  are  magistrates  ordained,  but  that  the  The  duty  of 
tranquillity  of  the  commonweal  may  be  confirmed,   limiting  "'d 
both  ploughs  ? 

But  now  for  the  fault  of  unpreaching  prelates,  methink  I  unm-eaching 
could  guess  what  might  be  said  for  excusing  of  them.  They 
are  so  troubled  with  lordly  living,  they  be  so  placed  in 
palaces,  couched  in  courts,  ruffling  in  their  rents,  dancing  in 
their  dominions,  burdened  with  ambassages,  pampering  of 
their  paunches,  like  a  monk  that  maketh  his  jubilee ;  munch- 
ing in  their  mangers,  and  moiling  in  their  gay  manors  and 
mansions,  and  so  troubled  with  loitering  in  their  lordships, 
that  they  cannot  attend  it.  They  are  otherwise  occupied, 
some  in  the  king's  matters,  some  are  ambassadors,  some  of 
the  privy  council,  some  to  furnish  the  court,  some  are  lords 
of  the  parliament,  some  are  presidents,  and  comptrollers1  of 
mints. 

Well,  well,  is  this  their  duty  ?     Is  this  their  office  ?     Is 
this  their  calling  ?      Should  we  have  ministers  of  the  church 
to  be  comptrollers  of  the  mints  ?     Is  this  a  meet  office  for  a 
[!  and  some  comptrollers,  1562,  1571.] 


6'8  SERMON    OK    THE     PLOUGH.  [sERM. 

priest  that  hath  cure  of  souls  ?  Is  this  his  charge  ?  I  would 
here  ask  one  question:  I  would  fain  know  who  controlleth 
Mintin,  the  devil  at  home  in  his  parish,  while  he  controlleth  the 
mint  ?  If  the  apostles  might  not  leave  the  office  of  preaching 
to  the  deacons,  shall  one  leave  it  for  minting?  I  cannot 
tell  you;  but  the  saying  is,  that  since  priests  have  been 
minters,  money  hath  been  worse  than  it  was  before.  And 
they  say  that  the  evilness  of  money  hath  made  all  things 
dearer.  And  in  this  behalf  I  must  speak  to  England.  "Hear, 
my  country,  England,"  as  Paul  said  in  his  first  epistle  to 
the  Corinthians,  the  sixth  chapter;  for  Paul  was  no  sitting 
bishop,  but  a  walking  and  a  preaching  bishop.  But  when  he 
went  from  them,  he  left  there  behind  him  the  plough  going 
still ;  for  he  wrote  unto  them,  and  rebuked  them  for  going 
to  law,  and  pleading  their  causes  before  heathen  judges:  "Is 
there,"  saith  he,  "utterly  among  you  no  wise  man,  to  be  an 
arbitrator  in  matters  of  judgment?  What,  not  one  of  all 
that  can  judge  between  brother  and  brother ;  but  one  brother 
goeth  to  law  with  another,  and  that  under  heathen  judges  ? 
Constituite  contemptos  qui  sunt  in  ecclesia,  &c.  Appoint 
them  judges  that  are  most  abject  and  vile  in  the  congre- 
gation." AVhich  he  speaketh  in  rebuking  them ;  "  For," 
saith  he,  ad  erubescentiam  vestram  dico — "  I  speak  it  to 
your  shame."  So,  England,  I  speak  it  to  thy  shame :  is 
there  never  a  nobleman  to  be  a  lord  president,  but  it  must 
be  a  prelate1  ?  Is  there  never  a  wise  man  in  the  realm 
to  be  a  comptroller  of  the  mint  ?  "I  speak  it  to  your  shame. 
I  speak  it  to  your  shame."  If  there  be  never  a  wise  man, 
make  a  water-bearer,  a  tinker,  a  cobbler,  a  slave,  a  page, 
comptroller  of  the  mint :  make  a  mean  gentleman,  a  groom, 
a  yeoman,  or  a  poor  beggar,  lord  president. 

Thus  I  speak,  not  that  I  would  have  it  so ;  but  "  to  your 

shame,"  if  there  be  never  a  gentleman  meet  nor  able  to  be 

uJ!eofreift"e8  *0rc^  President.      For  why  are  not  the  noblemen  and  young 

mtn  gentlemen  of  England  so  brought  up  in  knowledge  of  God, 

and  in  learning,  that  they  may  be  able  to  execute  offices  hi 

[l  "  One  kepeth  the  priuey  seale,  another  the  great  seale,  the  thyrd 
is  confessouv. .  .he  is  president  of  the  prince's  counsaile,  he  is  an  ara- 
bassadour,  an  other  sort  of  the  kynges  secret  counsaile."  Tyndall, 
Works,  p.  152.] 


VI.]  SERMON    OF    THE     PLOUGH.  69 

the  commonweal?  The  king  hath  a  great  many  of  wards2, 
and  I  trow  there  is  a  Court  of  Wards :  why  is  there  not  a 
school  for  the  wards,  as  well  as  there  is  a  Court  for  their 
lands?  Why  are  they  not  set  in  schools  where  they  may 
learn?  Or  why  are  they  not  sent  to  the  universities,  that 
they  may  be  able  to  serve  the  king  when  they  come  to  age  ? 
If  the  wards  and  young  gentlemen  were  well  brought  up  in 
learning,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  they  would  not  when 
they  come  .to  age  so  much  give  themselves  to  other  vanities. 
And  if  the  nobility  be  well  trained  in  godly  learning,  the 
people  would  follow  the  same  train.  For  truly,  such  as  the 
noblemen  be,  such  will  the  people  be.  And  now,  the  only  why^owe- 
cause  why  noblemen  be  not  made  lord  presidents,  is  because  ™;»fd>°r^ 
they  have  not  been  brought  up  in  learning. 

Therefore  for  the  love  of  God  appoint  teachers  and 
schoolmasters,  you  that  have  charge  of  youth  ;  and  give  the 
teachers  stipends  worthy  their  pains,  that  they  may  bring 
them  up  in  grammar,  in  logic,  in  rhetoric,  in  philosophy,  in 
the  civil  law,  and  in  that  which  I  cannot  leave  unspoken  of,  ^ 
the  word  of  God.  Thanks  be  unto  God,  the  nobility  other- 
wise is  very  well  brought  up  in  learning  and  godliness,  to 
the  great  joy  and  comfort  of  England ;  so  that  there  is  now 
good  hope  in  the  youth,  that  we  shall  another  day  have  a 
nourishing  commonweal,  considering  their  godly  education. 
Yea,  and  there  be  already  noblemen  enough,  though  not  so 
many  as  I  would  wish,  able  to  be  lord  presidents,  and  wise 
men  enough  for  the  mint,  And  as  unmeet  a  thing  it  is  for 
bishops  to  be  lord  presidents,  or  priests  to  be  minters,  as  it 
was  for  the  Corinthians  to  plead  matters  of  variance  before 
heathen  judges.  It  is  also  a  slander  to  the  noblemen,  as 
though  they  lacked  wisdom  and  learning  to  be  able  for  such 
offices,  or  else  were  no  men  of  conscience,  or  else  were  not 
meet  to  be  trusted,  and  able  for  such  offices.  And  a  prelate  a  bbhop^ 
hath  a  charge  and  cure  otherwise;   and  therefore  he  cannot  a  preacher. 

[2  All  minors  of  a  certain  rank  were  anciently  regarded  as  wards  of 
the  crown,  the  rents,  &c.  of  their  estates  during  their  nonage  being- 
paid  into  the  royal  exchequer.  King  Henry  VIII.  established  a  Court 
for  the  management  of  the  lands  &c.  of  wards,  which  continued  till 
the  reign  of  Charles  II.  See  Coke's  Institutes,  fourth  Part.  ch.  35. 
Blackstone,  B.  m.  c.  17.] 


70  SERMON    OF    THE    PLOUGH.  [sERM. 

discharge  his  duty  and  be  a  lord  president  too.  For  a 
presidentship  requireth  a  whole  man ;  and  a  bishop  cannot 
be  two  men.  A  bishop  hath  his  office,  a  flock  to  teach,  to 
look  unto ;  and  therefore  he  cannot  meddle  with  another 
office,  which  alone  requireth  a  whole  man :  he  should  there- 
fore give  it  over  to  whom  it  is  meet,  and  labour  in  his  own 
business ;  as  Paul  writeth  to  the  Thessalonians,  "  Let  every 
man  do  his  own  business,  and  follow  his  calling."  Let  the 
priest  preach,  and  the  noblemen  handle  the  temporal  matters. 
Moses  was  a  marvellous  man,  a  good  man :  Moses  was  a 
wonderful  fellow,  and  did  Ins  duty,  being  a  married  man : 
we  lack  such  as  Moses  was.  Well,  I  would  all  men  would 
look  to  their  duty,  as  God  hath  called  them,  and  then  we 
should  have  a  flourishing  christian  commonweal. 

And  now  I  would  ask  a  strange  question :  who  is  the 
The  devil  is  most  diligentest  bishop  and  prelate  in  all  England,  that 
preaAer.  passeth  all  the  rest  in  doing  his  office  ?  I  can  tell,  for  I 
know  him  who  it  is ;  I  know  him  well.  But  now  I  think  I 
see  you  listening  and  hearkening  that  I  should  name  him. 
There  is  one  that  passeth  all  the  other,  and  is  the  most 
diligent  prelate  and  preacher  in  all  England.  And  will  ye 
know  who  it  is  ?  I  will  tell  you :  it  is  the  devil.  He  is  the 
most  diligent  preacher  of  all  other ;  he  is  never  out  of  his 
diocess ;  he  is  never  from  his  cure ;  ye  shall  never  find  him 
unoccupied ;  he  is  ever  in  his  parish ;  he  keepeth  residence 
at  all  times ;  ye  shall  never  find  him  out  of  the  way,  call 
for  him  when  you  will  he  is  ever  at  home ;  the  diligentest 
preacher  in  all  the  realm ;  he  is  ever  at  his  plough :  no 
lording  nor  loitering  can  hinder  him ;  he  is  ever  applying 
his  business,  ye  shall  never  find  him  idle,  I  warrant  you. 
of  And  his  office  is  to  hinder  religion,  to  maintain  superstition, 
his^trke  to  set  UP  idolatry,  to  teach  all  kind  of  popery.  He  is  ready 
as  he  can  be  wished  for  to  set  forth  his  plough ;  to  devise 
as  many  ways  as  can  be  to  deface  and  obscure  God's  glory. 
Where  the  devil  is  resident,  and  hath  his  plough  going,  there 
away  with  books,  and  up  with  candles;  away  with  bibles,  and 
up  with  beads;  away  with  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  up 
with  the  light  of  candles,  yea,  at  noon-days.  Where  the 
devil  is  resident,  that  he  may  prevail,  up  with  all  superstition 
and  idolatry ;    censing,   painting  of  images,   candles,  palms, 


VI.]  SERMON     OF    THE    PLOUGH.  71 

ashes,  holy  water,  and  new  service  of  men's  inventing1 ;  as 
though  man  could  invent  a  better  way  to  honour  God  with 
than  God  himself  hath  appointed.  Down  with  Christ's  cross, 
up  with  purgatory  pickpurse,  up  with  him,  the  popish  pur- 
gatory, I  mean.  Away  with  clothing  the  naked,  the  poor 
and  impotent ;  up  with  decking  of  images,  and  gay  garnishing 
of  stocks  and  stones  :  up  with  man's  traditions  and  his  laws, 
down  with  God's  traditions  and  his  most  holy  word.  Down  The  devu  is 
with  the  old  honour  due  to  God,  and  up  with  the  new  god's  aii  supersti-0 

1  °  tions. 

honour.  Let  all  things  be  done  in  Latin :  there  must  be 
nothing  but  Latin,  not  so  much  as  Memento,  homo,  quod  cinis 
es,  et  in  cinerem  reverteris :  "  Remember,  man,  that  thou 
art  ashes,  and  into  ashes  thou  shalt  return  :"  which  be  the 
words  that  the  minister  speaketh  unto  the  ignorant  people, 
when  he  giveth  them  ashes  upon  Ash- Wednesday2;  but  it 
must  be  spoken  in  Latin :  God's  word  may  in  no  wise  be 
translated  into  English. 

Oh  that  our  prelates  would  be  as  diligent  to  sow  the  corn  The  <ievii  is 
of  good  doctrine,  as  Satan  is  to  sow  cockle  and  darnel !    And  diligent  in 
this  is  the  devilish  plous-hing,  the  which  worketh  to  have  than  our 

1         C3         oy  ^  bishops  are 

things  in  Latin,  and  letteth  the  fruitful  edification.  But  here  in  theirs- 
some  man  will  say  to  me,  What,  sir,  are  ye  so  privy  of  the 
devil's  counsel,  that  ye  know  all  this  to  be  true  ?  Truly  I 
know  him  too  well,  and  have  obeyed  him  a  little  too  much  in 
condescending  to  some  follies ;  and  I  know  him  as  other  men 
do,  yea,  that  he  is  ever  occupied,  and  ever  busy  in  following 
his  plough.  I  know  by  St  Peter,  which  saith  of  him,  Stout 
leo  rugiens  circuit  queer  ens  quern  devoret :  "He  goeth  about 
like  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour."  I  would  The  travail 
have  this  text  well  viewed  and  examined,  every  word  of  it :  the  devil8  ° 

~.  .  ii-  \»    i  •        v  were  a  good 

"  Circuit,      he  goeth  about  m  every  corner  of  his  diocess ;  spur  to  prick 

i  i  /»  l  •  forward  our 

he  goeth  on  visitation  daily,  he  leaveth  no  place  of  his  euro  J^^'J* 
unvisited :  he  walketh  round  about  from  place  to  place,  and  j"^1 
ceaseth  not.     "  Sicut  leo,"  as  a  lion,  that  is,  strongly,  boldly, 
and  proudly;  stately  and  fiercely  with  haughty  looks,  with 
his  proud   countenances,    with   his    stately  braggings.    "  Ru- 

f1  For  an  account  of  the  origin  of  the  superstitions  here  recited, 
see  Becon's  Works,  in.  fol.  209,  et  seq. ;  350,  et  seq.] 

[2  An  account  of  this  and  the  other  ceremonies  that  used  to  be 
observed  on  Ash-Wednesday  may  be  seen  in  Brand's  Observations  on 
Popular  Antiquities,  &c.  ed.  by  Ellis,  Vol.  I.  pp.  79  et  seq.] 


SERMON     OF    THE    PLOUGH. 


[sERM. 


cjiens,"  roaring;  for  he  letteth  not  slip  any  occasion  to  speak 
or  to  roar  out  when  he  seeth  his  time.  Qacerens,  he  goeth 
about  seeking,  and  not  sleeping,  as  our  bishops  do;  but  he 
seeketh  diligently,  he  searcheth  diligently  all  corners,  where  as 
he  may  have  Ins  prey.  He  roveth  abroad  in  every  place  of 
his  diocess;  he  standeth  not  still,  he  is  never  at  rest,  but 
ever  in  hand  with  his  plough,  that  it  may  go  forward.  But 
there  was  never  such  a  preacher  in  England  as  he  is.  Who 
is  able  to  tell  his  diligent  preaching,  which  every  day,  and 
every  hour,  laboureth  to  sow  cockle  and  darnel,  that  he  may 
bring  out  of  form,  and  out  of  estimation  and  room1,  the  in- 
stitution of  the  Lord's  supper  and  Christ's  cross  ?    For  there 

[John  xii.  &  he  lost  Ins  right ;  for  Christ  said,  Nunc  judicium  est  mundi, 
princeps  seculi  hujus  ejicietur  foras.  Et  sicut  exaltavit 
Moses  serpentem  in  deserto,  ita  exaltari  oportet  Filium  homi- 
nis.  Et  cum  exaltatus  fuero  a  terra,  omnia  traham  ad 
meipsum.  "  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world,  and  the 
prince  of  tins  world  shall  be  cast  out.  And  as  Moses  did 
lift  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  so  must  the  Son  of  man 
be  lift  up.      And  when  I  shall  be  lift  up  from  the  earth,   I 

The  devii  de  will  draw  all  things  unto  myself."      For  the  devil  was  dis- 

chnst.  appointed  of  his  purpose :  for  he  thought  all  to  be  his  own ; 
and  when  he  had  once  brought  Christ  to  the  cross,  he 
thought  all  cocksure.  But  there  lost  he  all  reigning :  for 
Christ  said,  Omnia  traham  ad  meipsum :  "I  will  draw 
all  things  to  myself."  He  meaneth,  drawing  of  man's  soul 
to  salvation.  And  that  he  said  he  would  do  per  semetipsum, 
by  his  own  self;  not  by  any  other  body's  sacrifice.  He 
meant  by  Ins  own  sacrifice  on  the  cross,  where  he  offered 
himself  for  the  redemption  of  mankind ;  and  not  the  sacrifice 
of  the  mass  to  be  offered  by  another.  For  who  can  offer 
him  but  himself  ?     He  was  both  the  offerer  and  the  offering. 

Note  here  a    And  this  is  the  prick,    this  is  the  mark  at  the  which  the 

fruitful  and      ,       ...  x 

;,;>;:;'•;;*'  devil  shooteth,  to  evacuate  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  to  mingle 
the  institution  of  the  Lord's  supper;  the  which  although 
he  cannot  bring  to  pass,  yet  he  goeth  about  by  his  sleights 
and  subtil  means  to  frustrate  the  same ;  and  these  fifteen 
hundred  years  he  hath  been  a  doer,  only  purposing  to 
evacuate  Christ's  death,  and  to  make  it  of  small  efficacy  and 
virtue.  For  whereas  Christ,  according  as  the  serpent  was 
['  place  or  office.] 


'•] 


SERMON     OF    THE    PLOUGH. 


lifted  up  in  the  wilderness,  so  would  he  himself  be  exalted, 
that  thereby  as  many  as  trusted  hi  him  should  have  salva- 
tion;    but  the   devil  would  none   of  that:  they  would  have  The,. apisti 
us  saved  by  a  daily  oblation  propitiatory,  by  a  sacrifice  ex-  cal 
piatory,   or  remissory. 

Now  if  I  should  preach  in  the  coimtry,  among  the  un- 
learned, I  would  tell  what  propitiatory,  expiatory,  and  remis- 
sory is ;  but  here  is  a  learned  auditory  :  yet  for  them  that 
be   unlearned   I    will    expound  it.      Propitiatory,    expiatory, 
remissory,   or  satisfactory,  for  they  signify  all  one  thing  in 
effect,    and  is  nothing  else  but  a  thing  whereby  to    obtain 
remission  of  sins,  and  to  have  salvation.      And  this  way  the 
devil  used  to  evacuate  the  death  of  Christ,  that  we  might 
have   affiance   in    other   tilings,    as   in   the    sacrifice2   of  the 
priest ;    whereas  Christ  would  have  us  to  trust  in  his  only 
sacrifice.     So  he   was,   Agnus   occisus   ab   origine   mundi;  [Rev.  am.  8.] 
"  The  Lamb  that  hath  been  slain  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world ;"    and   therefore  he   is   called  juge   sacrificium,   "  a  [Dan.  via 
continual  sacrifice ;"  and  not  for  the  continuance  of  the  mass, 
as  the  blanchers  have  blanched  it,  and  wrested  it ;  and  as  I 
myself  did  once  betake3  it.      But  Paul  saith,  per  semetipsum  [Heb.  i.  3.] 
purgatio  facta  :    "  By  himself,"  and  by  none  other,   Christ  Christ's  sa- 
"  made  purgation"  and  satisfaction  for  the  whole  world.  conttniaf 

Would  Christ  this  word,  "  by  himself,"  had  been  better  offeredfor1** 
weighed  and  looked  upon,  and  in  sanctificationem,  to  make 
them  holy;  for  he  is  juge  sacrificium,  "a  continual  sacrifice," 
in  effect,  fruit  and  operation ;   that  like  as  they,  which  seeing 
the  serpent  hang  up  in  the  desert,  were  put  in  remembrance  The  brasen 
of  Christ's  death,  in  whom  as  many  as  believed  were  saved ;  Se™ 
so  all  men  that  trusted  in  the  death  of  Christ  shall  be  saved, 
as  well  they  that  were  before,  as  they  that  came  after.      For 
he  was  a  continual  sacrifice,  as  I  said,  in  effect,  fruit,  opera- 
tion,   and  virtue ;  as  though  he  had  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  and  continually  should  to  the  world's  end,   hang 
still  on  the  cross ;   and  he  is  as  fresh  hanging  on  the  cross 
now,  to  them  that  believe  and  trust  in  him,  as  he  was  fifteen 
hundred  years  ago,  when  he  was  crucified. 

Then  let  us  trust  upon  his  only  death,  and  look  for  none 
other  sacrifice  propitiatory,  than  the  same  bloody  sacrifice,  the 

[2  daily  sacrifice  1562,  1571.] 

[3  mistake  it,  1562,  1571.     take  it  to  be,  1607,  1635.] 


74  SERMON    OF    THE    PLOUGH.  [sERM. 

lively  sacrifice ;  and  not  the  dry  sacrifice,  but  a  bloody  sacri- 
fice.     For   Christ   himself  said,  consummatum   est:    "It  is 
perfectly  finished  :    I  have  taken  at  my  Father's  hand  the 
dispensation  of  redeeming  mankind,   I  have  wrought   man's 
redemption,  and  have  despatched  the  matter."      Why  then 
mingle  ye  him  ?    Why  do  ye  divide  him  ?     Why  make  you 
[i  cor.  v.  7.]  of  him  more  sacrifices  than  one  ?     Paul  saith,  Pascha  nos- 
christisour  trum    immolatus    est    Christus :    "Christ    our    passover    is 
passover.      0ffere^1 -^  So  that  the  thing  is  done,  and  Christ  hath  done 
it,  and  he   hath  done  it  semel,  once  for  all ;  and  it  was  a 
bloody  sacrifice,  not  a  dry  sacrifice.     Why  then,  it  is  not  the 
mass  that  availeth  or  profiteth  for  the  quick  and  the  dead. 
Wo  worth  thee,  0  devil,  wo  worth  thee,  that  hast  pre- 
vailed  so   far   and   so   long ;     that  hast  made    England    to 
worship  false  gods,  forsaking  Christ  their  Lord.      Wo  worth 
Note  here  the  thee,   devil,   wo  worth  thee,    devil,   and  all  thy  angels.      If 
!!!'r„'inpuf    Christ    by   his   death    draweth    all    things    to    himself,    and 

the  devil.  "  . 

draweth  all  men   to    salvation,    and  to  heavenly  bliss,   that 

trust  in  him ;    then  the  priests  at  the  mass,   at  the  popish 

mass,    I   say,    what  can  they  draw,    when   Christ  draweth 

p0,,iSh         all,  but  lands  and  goods  from  the  right  heirs?    The  priests 

dnigenno     draw  goods  and  riches,   benefices  and  promotions  to  them- 

devii.  selves;    and   such  as  believed  in  their  sacrifices  they  draw 

to   the    devil.      But   Christ   is   he    that  draweth   souls   unto 

him  by  his  bloody  sacrifice.      What  have  we  to  do  then  but 

epulari  in  Domino,  to  eat  in  the  Lord  at  his  supper  ?    What 

other  service  have  we  to  do  to  him,  and  what  other  sacrifice 

have  we  to  offer,  but  the  mortification  of  our  flesh  ?     WThat 

The  service    other  oblation  have  we  to  make,  but  of  obedience,  of  good 

i!i..tv.,. ought  living,    of   good    works,    and    of   helping    our    neighbours? 

to  offer  unto  j.  .  ,  . 

God.  But   as   for    our   redemption,   it   is  done  already,   it  cannot 

be  better :  Christ  hath  done  that  thing  so  well,  that  it 
cannot  be  amended.  It  cannot  be  devised  how  to  make 
that  any  better  than  he  hath  done  it.  But  the  devil,  by 
the  help  of  that  Italian  bishop  yonder,  his  chaplain,  hath 
laboured  by  all  means  that  he  might  to  frustrate  the  death 
of  Christ  and  the  merits  of  his  passion.  And  they  have 
devised  for  that  purpose  to  make  us  believe  in  other  vain 
things  by  his  pardons ;  as  to  have  remission  of  sins  for  pray- 

[i  offered  up,  1562,  1571. J 


VI.]  SERMON    OF    THE     PLOUGH.  75 

ing  on  hallowed  beads;  for  drinking  of  the  bakehouse  bowl2; 
as  a  canon  of  Waltham  Abbey  once  told  me,  that  whensoever 
they  put  their  loaves  of  bread  into  the  oven,  as  many  as 
drank  of  the  pardon-bowl  should  have  pardon  for  drinking 
of  it.  A  mad  thing,  to  give  pardon  to  a  bowl !  Then  to 
pope  Alexander's3  holy  water,  to  hallowed  bells,  palms,  Note  here 
candles,  ashes,  and  what  not  ?  And  of  these  things,  every  we  have  had 
one  hath  taken  away  some  part  of  Christ's  sanctification ; 
every  one  hath  robbed  some  part  of  Christ's  passion  and 
cross,  and  hath  mingled  Christ's  death,  and  hath  been  made 
to  be  propitiatory  and  satisfactory,  and  to  put  away  sin. 
Yea,  and  Alexander's  holy  water  yet  at  this  day  remaineth 
in  England,  and  is  used  for  a  remedy  against  spirits  and 
to  chase  away  devils ;  yea,  and  I  would  this  had  been  the 
worst.  I  would  this  were  the  worst.  But  wo  worth  thee, 
O  devil,  that  hast  prevailed  to  evacuate  Christ's  cross,  and 
to  mingle  the  Lord's  supper.  These  be  the  Italian  bishop's 
devices,  and  the  devil  hath  pricked  at  this  mark  to  frustrate 
the  cross  of  Christ :  he  shot  at  this  mark  long  before  Christ 
came,  he  shot  at  it  four  thousand  years  before  Christ  hanged 
on  the  cross,  or  suffered  his  passion. 

For  the  brasen  serpent  was  set  up  in  the  wilderness,  to 
put  men  in  remembrance  of  Christ's  coming ;  that  like  as 
they  which  beheld  the  brasen  serpent  were  healed  of  their 
bodily  diseases,  so  they  that  looked  spiritually  upon  Christ 
that  was  to  come,  in  him  should  be  saved  spiritually  from 
the  devil.  The  serpent  was  set  up  in  memory  of  Christ  to 
come ;  but  the  devil  found  means  to  steal  away  the  memory 
of  Christ's  coming,  and  brought  the  people  to  worship  the 
serpent  itself,  and  to  cense  liim,  to  honour  him,  and  to  offer 
to  him,  to  worship  him,  and  to  make  an  idol  of  him.  And 
this  was  done  by  the  market-men  that  I  told  you  of.  And 
the  clerk  of  the  market  did  it  for  the  lucre  and  advantage 
of  his  master,  that  thereby  his  honour  might  increase ;  for 
by  Christ's  death  he  could  have  but  small  worldly  advantage. 
And  so  even  now  so  hath  he  certain  blanchers  belonging  to 

[2  In  the  monastery  of  Bury  St  Edmund's  also  was  a  "holye 
relique  which  was  called  the  pardon-bouU;  whosoever  dronk  of  this 
boule  in  the  worshippe  of  God  and  Saynt  Edmund,  he  had  hue  hun- 
dred dayes  of  pardon,  toties  quoties."     Becon's  Works,  hi.  fol.  187.] 

[3  Pope  Alexander  I.  s.  Breviarium  Roman.  Die  iii.  Maii.] 


76  SEKMON    01-'    THE    PLOUGH.  [sERM. 

the  market,  to  let  and  stop  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  to 
hinder  the  king's  proceedings  in  setting  forth  the  word  and 
glory  of  God.  And  when  the  king's  majesty,  with  the 
advice  of  his  honourable  council,  goeth  about  to  promote 
God's  word,  and  to  set  an  order  in  matters  of  religion,  there 
Ttu.  saying  of  shall  not  lack  blanchers  that  will  say,  "As  for  images,  whereas 
553*  they  have  used  to  be  censed,  and  to  have  candles  offered 
unto  them,  none  be  so  foolish  to  do  it  to  the  stock  or  stone, 
or  to  the  image  itself;  but  it  is  done  to  God  and  his  honour 
before  the  image."  And  though  they  should  abuse  it,  these 
The  per-  blanchers  will  be  ready  to  whisper  the  king  in  the  ear,  and 
p.'i'pVst" °f  to  tell  him,  that  this  abuse  is  but  a  small  matter;  and  that 
the  same,  with  all  other  like  abuses  in  the  church,  may  be 
reformed  easily.  "  It  is  but  a  little  abuse,"  say  they,  "  and 
it  may  be  easily  amended.  But  it  should  not  be  taken  in 
hand  at  the  first,  for  fear  of  trouble  or  further  inconveniences. 
The  people  will  not  bear  sudden  alterations ;  an  insurrection 
may  be  made  after  sudden  mutation,  which  may  be  to  the 
great  harm  and  loss  of  the  realm.  Therefore  all  things  shall 
be  well,  but  not  out  of  hand,  for  fear  of  further  business." 
These  be  the  blanchers,  that  hitherto  have  stopped  the  word 
of  God,  and  hindered  the  true  setting  forth  of  the  same. 
There  be  so  many  put-offs,  so  many  put-byes,  so  many  re- 
spects and  considerations  of  worldly  wisdom  :  and  I  doubt 
There  have  not  but  there  were  blanchers  in  the  old  time  to  whisper  in 
t'rs'm  time  the  ear  of  good  king  Hezekiah,  for  the  maintenance  of  idol- 
there  are  stm.  atry  done  to  the  brasen  serpent,  as  well  as  there  hath  been 
now  of  late,  and  be  now,  that  can  blanch  the  abuse  of  images, 
and  other  like  things.  But  good  king  Hezekiah  would  not 
be  so  blinded ;  he  was  like  to  Apollos,  "  fervent  in  spirit." 
He  would  give  no  ear  to  the  blanchers ;  he  was  not  moved 
with  the  worldly  respects,  with  these  prudent  considerations, 
with  these  policies:  he  feared  not  insurrections  of  the  people: 
he  feared  not  lest  his  people  would  not  bear  the  glory  of 
God ;  but  he,  without  any  of  these  respects,  or  policies,  or 
considerations,  like  a  good  king,  for  God's  sake  and  for 
conscience  sake,  by  and  by  plucked  down  the  brasen  serpent, 
"l<1"'>-  and  destroyed  it  utterly,  and  beat  it  to  powder.  He  out 
of  hand  did  cast  out  all  images,  he  destroyed  all  idolatry, 
and  clearly  did  extirpate  all  superstition.  He  would  not 
hear    these    blanchers    and    worldly-wise   men,    but    without 


Hezekiah  a 
godlj  king 
;ind  a  de- 
stroyer of 


VI.]  SERMON    OF    THE    PLOUGH.  77 

delay  followeth  God's  cause,  and  destroyeth  all  idolatry 
out  of  hand.  Thus  did  good  king  Hczekiah ;  for  he  was 
like  Apollos,  fervent  in  spirit,  and  diligent  to  promote  God's 
glory. 

And  good  hope  there  is,  that  it  shall  be  likewise  here  in 
England ;  for  the  king's  majesty  is  so  brought  up  in  know- 
ledge, virtue,  and  godliness,  that  it  is  not  to  be  mistrusted 
but  that  we  shall  have  all  things  well,  and  that  the  glory 
of  God  shall  be  spread  abroad  throughout  all  parts  of  the 
realm,  if  the  prelates  will  diligently  apply  their  plough,  and 
be  preachers  rather  than  lords.  But  our  blanchers,  which 
will  be  lords,  and  no  labourers,  when  they  are  commanded 
to  go  and  be  resident  upon  their  cures,  and  preach  in  their 
benefices,  they  would  say,  "What?  I  have  set  a  deputy  Bishops  aP- 
there ;  I  have  a  deputy  that  looketh  well  to  my  flock,  and  t'cs  l°  preach 
the  which  shall  discharge  my  duty."  "  A  deputy,"  quoth 
he !  I  looked  for  that  word  all  this  while.  And  what  a 
deputy  must  he  be,  trow   ye  ?     Even  one  like  himself :   he  Behold  what 

...  i'ii  deputies 

must   be  a  canonist;  that  is  to  say,  one  that  is  brought  upbishopsap- 

"  o  J    point  to  serve 

in  the  study  ol  the  pope's  laws  and  decrees ;  one  that  will  ™  ^eeir 
set  forth  papistry  as  well  as  himself  will  do  ;  and  one  that 
will  maintain  all  superstition  and  idolatry ;  and  one  that  will 
nothing  at  all,  or  else  very  weakly,  resist  the  devil's  plough : 
yea,  happy  it  is  if  he  take  no  part  with  the  devil;  and  where 
he  should  be  an  enemy  to  him,  it  is  well  if  he  take  not  the 
devil's  part  against  Christ. 

But  in  the  mean  time  the  prelates  take  their  pleasures.  Thedevuis 
They  are  lords,  and  no  labourers :  but  the  devil  is  diligent  ing  prelate, 
at   his   plough.      He   is   no   unpreaching  prelate :   he   is   no 
lordly  loiterer   from  his   cure,    but   a   busy  ploughman ;    so 
that  among  all  the  prelates,  and  among  all  the  pack  of  them 
that  have  cure,  the  devil  shall  go  for  my  money,  for  he  still 
applieth  his  business.      Therefore,   ye   unpreaching  prelates, 
learn  of  the   devil :  to  be  diligent  in  doing  of  your  office,  The  devii 
learn  of  the  devil :  and  if  you  will  not  learn  of  God,  nor  bishops  to  be 

«  ■  diligent. 

good  men,  for  shame  learn  of  the  devil ;  ad  erubescentiam 
vestram  dico,  "I  speak  it  for  your  shame:"  if  you  will  not 
learn  of  God,  nor  good  men,  to  be  diligent  in  your  office, 
learn  of  the  devil.  Howbeit  there  is  now  very  good  hope 
that  the  king's  majesty,  being  by  the  help  of  good  govern- 


78  SERMON    OF    THE    PLOUGH.  [.SERM.   VI.] 

ance  of  his  most  honourable  counsellors  trained  and  brought 
up  in  learning,  and  knowledge  of  God's  word,  will  shortly 
provide  a  remedy,  and  set  an  order  herein ;  which  thing 
that  it  may  so  be,  let  us  pray  for  him.  Pray  for  him, 
good  people ;  pray  for  him.  Ye  have  great  cause  and  need 
to  pray  for  him. 


THE    SEYEN    SERMONS 

OF 

THE   REVEREND   FATHER 

M.    HUGH    LATIMER. 


WHICH  HE   PREACHED  BEFORE  OUR  LATE  SOVEREIGN  LORD,   OF  FAMOUS 

MEMORY,  KING  EDWARD   THE  VI.  WITHIN  THE  PREACHING-PLACE1,  IN 

THE  PALACE  AT  WESTMINSTER,   IN  THE  YEAR  OF  OUR  LORD,   1549, 

THE  FIRST  SERMON  THE  EIGHTH  OF   MARCH.    WHEREUNTO 

ARE  ADDED  OTHER  TWO  SERMONS,  AS  WELL  THAT  HE 

PREACHED    AT   STAMFORD,    AS    ALSO    THE    LAST 

THAT  HE  MADE   BEFORE   THE  LATE   KING 

EDWARD,  WHICH   HE  CALLED  HIS 

VLTIMUM  VALE. 


\}  The  pulpit  was,  for  the  first  time,  placed  in  the  privy-garden, 
when  bishop  Latimer  preached  these  Sermons,  it  being  thought  pro- 
bable that  the  chapel  royal  would  not  hold  all  the  people  that  would 
flock  to  hear  him.  The  king  listened  to  the  Sermons  from  a  window 
in  the  palace,  as  is  represented  in  the  old  print  of  Latimer's  preach- 
ing.] 


DEDICATION 


TO   THE    RIGHT  VIRTUOUS  AND   GRACIOUS   LADY    KATHA- 
RINE,  DUCHESS   OF  SUFFOLK1,   THOMAS  SOME,   HER 
HUMBLE  AND  FAITHFUL  ORATOR,  WISHETH 
GODLY    FAVOUR    AND    EVERLASTING 
SALVATION   FROM    GOD    THE    FA- 
THER, THROUGH  JESUS  CHRIST 
OUR    MERCIFUL 
LORD. 


When  man  is  born  for  man,  that  one  to  another  should 
be  a  God,  and  not  a  devil ;  an  helper,  no  hinderer ;  unto 
whom  also  the  use  of  the  tongue  is  only  given,  whereby  they 
do  both  express  and  shew  tho  affections  of  their  minds ;  there 
is  no  man  which  can  say,  "  I  have  no  nped  of  any  man." 
But  amongst  infinite  mischiefs  and  evils  of  man's  poverty 
and  anguish,  by  which  he  hath  need  of  other  men's  help,  is 
the  instruction  of  prudence  or  virtue,  and  of  science.  For 
mankind  in  this  do  precel  chiefly  brute  beasts,  because  they 
help  one  another  by  mutual  communication.  In  learning 
good  and  virtuous  manners,  the  use  of  communing  is  required 
chiefly,  that  men  erring  and  ignorant  should  be  taught ;  for 
there  is  none  which  shall  ever  learn  of  himself,  although  he 
be  never  so  happily  born.  Therefore  it  shall  become  every 
man,  which  doth  intend  to  live  godly,  to  hear  and  learn 
godly  books;  to  print  heavenly  documents  in  their  hearts. 
For  as  evil  doctrine,  devilish  books,  and  filthy  talk,  do  cor- 
rupt good  manners ;  so  faithful  precepts,  godly  books,  chaste 
communing  and  honest,  shall  edify  and  confirm.  Wherefore, 
intending  to  do  good  unto  all  men,  and  namely  unto  such  as 

[x  The  noble  lady  to  whom  this  Dedication  is  addressed,  was  Katha- 
rine, Baroness  Willoughby  of  Eresby  in  her  own  right,  and  widow 
of  Charles  Brandon,  Duke  of  Suffolk.  She  afterwards  married  Mi- 
Richard  Bertie,  of  Bersted  in  Kent,  the  ancestor  of  the  present  Earls 
of  Lindsey  and  Abingdon.  The  romantic  story  of  the  troubles  and 
exile  of  herself  and  husband  for  the  sake  of  religion  is  related  at 
length  by  Hollingshed,  pp.  1142—1145;  and  by  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon. 

in.  pp.  778—781.  edit.  1684.] 

/? 

[latimkr.] 


S2  DEDICATION. 

err  and  be  ignorant,  I  have  gathered,  writ,  and  brought  to 
light,  the  famous  Friday  Sermons  of  Master  Hugh  Latimer, 
which  he  preached  in  Lent  last  past,  before  our  most  noble 
King  Edward  the  Sixth,  at  the  New  Palace  of  Westminster, 
the  third  year  of  his  reign :  which  Sermons,  most  virtuous 
lady,  I  dedicate  unto  your  honourable  grace;  nothing  doubt- 
ing but  that  you  will  gladly  embrace  them,  not  only  because 
of  their  excellence,  but  chiefly  for  the  profit  which  shall  ensue 
through  them  unto  the  ignorant.  For  in  them  are  fruitful 
and  godly  documents,  directing  ordinately  not  only  the  steps, 
conversation,  and  living  of  kings,  but  also  of  other  ministers 
and  subjects  under  him.  And  let  no  man  be  grieved  though 
it  be  not  so  exactly  done  as  he  did  speak  it ;  for  in  very 
deed  I  am  not  able  so  to  do,  to  write  word  for  word  as  he 
did  speak :  that  passeth  my  capacity,  though  I  had  twenty 
men's  wits,  and  no  fewer  hands  to  write  withal.  As  it  is 
unpossible  that  a  little  river  should  receive  the  recourse  of 
the  main  sea  within  his  brims,  so  that  no  water  should  over- 
whelm the  sides  thereof;  in  like  manner  is  it  more  unlike  my 
simple  wit  to  comprehend  absolutely  the  abundant  eloquence 
and  learning  winch  floweth  most  abundantly  out  of  godly 
Latimer's  mouth.  Notwithstanding,  yet  had  I  rather  with 
shamefacedness  declare  charitably  this  part  of  his  godly  docu- 
ments and  counsel,  than  with  slothfulness  forget,  or  keep 
close  foolishly,  that  thing  winch  may  profit  many. 

Who  is  that  will  not  be  glad  to  hear  and  believe  the 
doctrine  of  godly  Latimer ;  whom  God  hath  appointed  a 
prophet  unto  our  most  noble  king  and  unto  our  realm  of 
England,  to  declare  the  message  of  the  living  God ;  to 
supplant  and  root  out  all  sins  and  vice ;  to  plant  and  graft 
in  men's  hearts  the  plenteousness  of  all  spiritual  blessings  in 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ? 

Moses,  Jeremias,  Elias,  did  never  declare  the  true  message 
of  God  unto  their  rulers  and  people,  with  a  more  sincere 
spirit,  faithful  mind,  and  godly  zeal,  than  godly  Latimer  doth 
now,  in  our  days,  unto  our  most  noble  king,  and  unto  the 
whole  realm.  Furthermore  also,  Josiah  received  never  the 
book  of  God's  will  at  the  hands  of  Hilkiah  the  high  priest, 
or  the  admonition  of  Huldah  that  prophetess,  with  a  more 
perfect  and  godly  fear,  than  our  most  noble  king  doth  most 
faithfully  give  credit  unto  the  words  of  good  father  Latimer. 


DEDICATION.  83 

And  I  have  no  doubt  but  all  godly  men  will  likewise  receive 
gladly  his  godly  sermons,  and  give  credit  unto  the  same. 
Therefore,  this  my  rude  labour  of  another  man's  sweat,  most 
virtuous  lady,  I  offer  most  humbly  unto  your  grace ;  moved 
thereunto  of  godly  zeal,  through  the  godly  fame  that  is 
dispersed  universally  of  your  most  godly  disposition  and  un- 
feigned love  towards  the  living,  almighty,  eternal  God  and 
his  holy  word ;  practised  daily  both  in  your  grace's  most 
virtuous  behaviour,  and  also  godly  charity  towards  the 
edification  of  every  member  grafted  in  Christ  Jesu ;  most 
humbly  desiring  your  grace  to  accept  favourably  this  my 
timorous  enterprise.  And  I,  your  most  humble  and  faithful 
orator,  shall  pray  unto  Jehovah,  the  God  which  is  of  himself, 
by  whom  and  in  whom  all  tilings  live,  move,  and  be,  that 
that  good  work  which  he  hath  begun  in  you,  he  may  perform 
it  unto  your  last  ending,  through  our  Lord  Jesu  Christ;  who 
preserve  and  keep  your  grace  now  and  ever.     So  be  it. 


THE    ARGUMENT    OF    THE    SERMON1 


In  this  first  Sermon  is  declared,  and  taught,  the  godly  election  of 
a  king;  and  a  rule  of  godly  living  as  touching  his  own  person.  Where 
he  proveth  our  most  excellent  king  Edward  to  be  our  most  lawful 
king,  both  by  nativity  and  country ;  yea,  and  now  appointed  in  these 
our  days  to  deliver  us  from  danger,  and  captivity  of  Egypt  and  wicked 
Pharaoh;  that  is,  from  errors,  and  ignorance,  and  devilish  antichrist, 
the  Pope  of  Rome.  The  form  of  his  godly  rule,  also,  he  divided  here, 
in  this  Sermon,  into  three  parts — First,  that  he  should  not  trust  too 
much  unto  his  own  strength  and  policy ;  but  only  to  walk  ordinately 
with  God,  and  to  make  him  his  lodes-man  and  chief  guide.  Second- 
arily, that  he  live  not  lasciviously  and  wantonly ;  following  evil 2  affec- 
tions, but  to  live  chastely;  and,  when  time  shall  require,  to  lead  a 
pure  life  under  the  yoke  of  matrimony :  admonishing  both  his  grace, 
and  all  magistrates,  to  be  circumspect  in  choosing  a  wife,  either  for 
themselves  or  their  children ;  having  this  always  in  mind,  that  she  be 
of  a  faithful  house,  godlily  brought  up,  and  of  a  pure  life.  Thirdly, 
he  admonished  the  king's  grace,  that  he  should  not  desire  gold  and 
silver  too  much :  proving  by  many  arguments  that  kind  of  vice,  with 
the  other  aforesaid,  to  be  destruction,  not  only  unto  the  king's  grace, 
but  also  unto  the  whole  realm  and  peojile.  In  these  things  consisteth 
the  whole  of  the  sum  of  this  Sermon. 


['  From  the  editions  of  1549  and  15G2.] 
p  Altered  from  the  original.] 


THE   FIRST   SERMON   PREACHED   BEFORE    KING   EDWARD, 
M ARCH  8,  1549. 


ROMANS  XV.  [4.] 

Qvuecunque  scripta  sunt,  ad  nostrum  doctrinam  scripta  sunt. 

Whatsoever  things  are  written  aforetime,  are  written  for  our  learning  ; 
that  we  through  patience  and  comfort  of  "scripture  might  have  hope. 

In  taking  this  part  of  scripture,  most  noble  audience,  I 
play  as  a  truant,  which,  when  he  is  at  school,  will  choose  a 
lesson  wherein  he  is  perfect,  because  he  is  loth  to  take  pain 
in  studying  a  new  lesson,  or  else  fcareth  stripes  for  his  sloth- 
fulness.  In  like  manner,  I  might  seem,  now  in  my  old  age, 
to  some  men  to  take  this  part  of  scripture,  because  I  would 
wade  easily  away  therewith,  and  drive  my  matter  at  my 
pleasure,  and  not  to  be  bound  unto  a  certain  theme.  But 
ye  shall  consider,  that  the  foresaid  words  of  Paul  are  not  The  scripture 
to  be  understanded  of  all  scriptures,  but  only  of  those  which  is  written  hi1 
are  of  God  written  in  God's  book ;  and  all  things  which  are  which  J8 

o  name  the 

therein  "  are  written  for  our  learning."      The  excellency  of Bible- 
this  word  is  so  great,  and  of  so  high  dignity,  that  there  is 
no  earthly  tiling  to  be  compared  unto  it.     The  author  thereof  Gen.i.  xwi. 
is  great,  that  is,  God  himself,  eternal,  almighty,  everlasting.  !?«•  **# 

&  '  >  >  >    ■  &      J '  to    prov.  viij. 

The  scripture,  because  of  him,  is  also  great,   eternal,  most  Dan- vii- 
mighty  and  holy.      There  is  no  king,   emperor,  magistrate,  we  must 
and  ruler,   of  what  state  soever  they  be,  but  are  bound  to  beieieve°hi's 
obey  this  God,  and  to  give  credence  unto  his  holy  word,  in  follow  it. 
directing  their  steps  ordinately  according  unto  the  same  word. 
Yea,  truly,  they  are  not  only  bound  to  obey  God's  book,  but 
also  the  minister  of  the  same,  "  for  the  word's  sake,"  so  far 
as   he  speaketh   "  sitting   in   Moses'   chair ;"   that  is,   if   his 
doctrine  be  taken  out  of  Moses'  law.     For  in  this  world  God  This  world 
hath  two  swords,  the  one  is  a  temporal  sword,   the  other  a  twoswords. 
spiritual.      The  temporal  sword  resteth  in  the  hands  of  kings,  The  temporal 
magistrates,  and  rulers,  under  him;  whereunto  all  subjects,  as  swc 
well  the  clergy  as  the  laity,  be  subject,  and  punishable  for 
any  offence  contrary  to  the  same  book.      The  spiritual  sword  sT^rsdpirituai 


Tim.  iii. 
Pet. 


86  FIRST     SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sEBM. 

is  in  the  hands   of  the  ministers  and  preachers;   whereunto 

all  kings,  magistrates,  and  rulers,  ought  to  be  obedient ;  that 

is,  to  hear  and  follow,  so  long  as  the  ministers  sit  in  Christ's 

Matt,  xxiii.    chair  ;  that  is,  speaking  out  of  Christ's  book.      The  king  cor- 

rornv'tefh      rectetli  transgressors  with  the  temporal  sword ;  yea,  and  the 

the  preacher.  ,  _  ,  . 

how  the       preacher  also,  if  he  be  an  offender.      But  the  preacher  cannot 

preacher  may  I  . 

ki^gor3  correct  the  king,  if  he  be  a  transgressor  of  God's  word,  with 
que'n'  the  temporal  sword;  but  he  must  correct  and  reprove  him 
with  the  spiritual  sword ;  fearing  no  man ;  setting  God  only 
before  his  eyes,  under  whom  he  is  a  minister,  to  supplant 
and  root  up  all  vice  and  'mischief  by  God's  word :  whereunto 
all  men  ought  to  be  obedient ;  as  is  mentioned  in  many 
Matt,  xxiii.    places  of  scripture,  and  amongst  many  this  is  one,   Qucecun- 

1  Tim    iii  -^  .  "ttti 

que  jusserint  vos  servare,  servate  et  jacite :  "Whatsoever 
they  bid  you  observe,  that  observe  and  do."  Therefore  let 
the  preacher  teach,  improve,  amend,  and  instruct  in  right- 
eousness, with  the  spiritual  sword;   fearing  no  man,  though 

Exod.v.vi.  death  should  ensue.  Thus  Moses,  fearing  no  man,  with  this 
sword  did  reprove  king  Pharao  at  God's  commandment. 

i  Kings  xxii.  Micheas  the  prophet  also  did  not  spare  to  blame  king 
Ahab  for  his  wickedness,  according  to  God's  will,  and  to 
prophesy  of  his  destruction,  contrary  unto  many  false  prophets. 
These  foresaid  kings,  being  admonished  by  the  ministers  of 
God's  word,  because  they  would  not  follow  their  godly  doc- 
trine, and  correct  their   lives,   came  unto  utter  destruction. 

KingPha-     Pharao  giving  no  credit  unto  Moses,  the   prophet   of  God, 

raoh  punish-  ©  ©  . 

Ixod  xiv  Dut  apphant  unto  the  lusts  of  his  own  heart,  what  time  he 
heard  of  the  passage  of  God's  people,  having  no  fear  or  re- 
membrance of  God's  work,  he  with  his  army  did  prosecute 
after1,  intending  to  destroy  them  ;  but  he  and  his  people  were2 

A!»b-      ..  drowned  in  the  Red  Sea.    King  Achab  also,  because  he  would 

1  Kings  xxn.  _  .  . 

not  hearken  unto  Micheas,  was  killed  with  an  arrow.     Like- 

i  Kings  xiv.   wise  also  the  house  of  Jeroboam,  with  other  many,  came  imto 

destruction,  because  he  would  not  hear  the  ministers  of  God's 

word,  and  correct  his  life  according  unto  his  will  and  pleasure. 

The  preacher  Let  the  preacher  therefore  never  fear  to  declare  the  message 

must  have  A  ~ 

hi°sdeyesfore  °^  ^od  unto  all  men.  And  if  the  king  will  not  hear  them, 
then  the  preachers  may  admonish  and  charge  them  with  their 
duties,   and  so  leave  them  unto   God,   and  pray  for  them. 

[l  he  did  prosecute  after,  1549.] 
[2  and  was  drowned,   1549.] 


VII.]  KING    EDWARD    THli    SIXTH.  87 

But  if  the  preachers  digress  out  of  Christ's  chair,  and  shall  Evil  preach- 
speak  their  own  phantasies,  then  instead  of,  Qucecunque  jus-  refused. 
serint  vos  facere,  facite  et  servate.  "  Whatsoever  they  bid 
you  observe,  that  observe  and  do,"  change  it  into  these  words 
following,   Cavete  vero  vobis  a  pseudo-prophetis,  qui  veniunt 
ad  vos,  &c,   "Beware  of  false  prophets,  which  come  unto  Mat;. vh. 
you   in    sheep's   clothing,   but   inwardly    they    are   ravening 
wolves :   ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits."      Yea,  change 
Quwcunque  jusserint,  if  their  doctrine  be  evil,  into  Cavete  imm.xmc, 
a  fermento  Pharisaiorum,  &c,  that  is,  "  Take  heed,  and  be- 
ware of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  Sadducees." 

In  teaching  evil  doctrine  all  preachers  are  to  be  eschewed, 
and  in  no  wise  to  be  hearkened  unto :  in  speaking  truth 
they  are  to  be  heard.  All  things  written  in  God's  book  are 
most  certain,  true,   and  profitable  for   all  men  :  for  in  it  is 


unto 
his'audiencc. 


.j  matter  for 

for  all  states.      Wherefore  it  behoveth  every  preacher  some-  a11  esUtes- 

what  to  appoint  and  accommodate  himself  and  his  matter,  a  preacher 

must  nave 
agreeable  unto  the  comfort  and  amendment  of  the  audience  r«i'ect1 

O  _  his  aud 

unto  the  which  he  declareth  the  message  of  God.  If  he 
pi-each  before  a  king,  let  his  matter  be  concerning  the  office 
of  a  king ;  if  before  a  bishop,  then  let  him  treat  of  bishoply 
duties  and  orders ;  and  so  forth  in  other  matters,  as  time  and 
audience  shall  require. 

I  have  thought  it  good  to  entreat  upon  these  words  fol- 
lowing, which  are  written  in  the  seventeenth  chapter  of 
Deuteronomy,  Cum  veneris  in  terrain  quam  Dominus  Deus  r>eut.  xvh. 
dat  tibi  possederisque  earn,  &c,  that  is,  "  When  thou  art 
come  unto  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee,  and 
enjoyest  it,  and  dwellest  therein  ;  if  thou  shalt  say,  I  will  set 
a  king  over  me,  like  unto  all  the  nations  that  are  about  me ; 
then  thou  shalt  make  him  king  over  thee  whom  the   Lord 

%r  God  shall  choose.      One  of  thy  brethren  must  thou  make  How  «od  ap- 
"  pointeth  the 

king  over  thee,  and  mayest  not  set  a  stranger  over  thee,  election  of  a 
which  is  not  of  thy  brethren.  But  in  any  wise  let  him  not 
hold  too  many  horses,  that  he  bring  not  the  people  again  to 
Egypt  through  the  multitude  of  horses :  forasmuch  as  the 
Lord  hath  said  unto  you,  Ye  shall  henceforth  go  no  more 
again  that  way.  Also  he  shall  not  have  too  many  wives,  lest 
his  heart  turn  away :  neither  shall  he  gather  him  silver  and 
gold  too  much." 


88  FIRST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sKRM. 

As  in  divers  other  places  of  scripture  is  meet  matter  for 
all  estates,  so  in  this  foresaid  place  is  described  chiefly  the 
doctrine  fit  for  a  king.  But  who  is  worthy  to  utter  this 
doctrine  before  our  most  noble  king  ?  Not  I,  God  knoweth, 
which  am  through  age  both  weak  in  body  and  oblivious: 
unapt  I  am.  not  only  because  of  painful  study,  but  also  for 
the  short  warning.  Well,  unto  God  I  will  make  my  moan, 
Avho  never  failed  me.  Ausdliator  in  necessitatibus,  "  God  is 
my  helper  in  all  my  necessities ;"  to  him  alone  will  I  make 
my  petition.  To  pray  unto  saints  departed  I  am  not  taught : 
to  desire  like  grace  of  God  as  they  had,  right  godly  it  is ; 
or  to  believe  God  to  be  no  less  merciful  unto  us,  being- 
faithful,  than  he  was  unto  them,  greatly  comfortable  it  is. 
Therefore  only  unto  God  let  us  lift  up  our  hearts,  and  say 
the  Lord's  prayer. 

Things  "  Cum  veneris,  §c. — When  thou   art  come   unto  the   land  which   the 

chiefly  in  the  Lord,  &c.     Thou  shalt  appoint  him  king,  &c." 

whole  ser- 

1.  "  One  of  the  brethren  must  thou  make  king  over 
thee ;  and  must  not  set  a  stranger  over  thee,  which  is  not 
of  thy  brethren. 

2.  "  But  in  any  wise  let  not  such  one  prepare  unto 
himself  many  horses,  that  he  bring  not,   &c. 

3.  "  Furthermore,  let  him  not  prepare  unto  himself 
many  wives,  lest  his  heart  recede  from   God. 

4.  "  Nor  he  shall  not  multiply  unto  himself  too  much 
gold  and  silver." 

As  the  text  doth  rise,  I  will  touch  and  go  a  little  in 
every  place,  until  I  come  unto — "too  much."  I  will  touch  all 
the  foresaid  things,  but  not — "too  much."  The  text  is,  "When 
thou  shalt  come  into  the  land,"  &c.  To  have  a  king  the 
Israelites  did  with  much  importunity  call  unto  God,  and  God 
long  before  promised  them  a  king ;  and  they  were  fully  cer- 
tified thereof,  that  God  had  promised  that  thing.  For  imto 
Abraham  he  said,  Ego  crescere  te  faciam  vehementer,  ponam- 
Gen.  xvii.  que  te  in  gentes,  sed  et  reges  ex  te  prodibunt:  that  is,  "  I  will 
multiply  thee  exceedingly,  and  will  make  nations  of  thee ; 
yea,  and  kings  shall  spring  out  of  thee."  These  words  were 
spoken  long  before  the  children  of  Israel  had  any  king. 
Notwithstanding,  yet  God  prescribed  unto  them  an  order, 
how  they  should  choose  their  king,  and  what  manner  of  man 


VII.]  KING     EDWARD     THE    SIXTH.  89 

he  should  be,  where  he  saith,  "  When  thou  shalt  come  into 
the  land,"  &c.  As  Avho  should  say,  "0  ye  children  of  Israel, 
I  know  your  nature  right  well,  which  is  evil,  and  inclined 
unto  all  evils.  I  know  that  thou  wilt  choose  a  king  to  reign 
over  thee,  and  to  appear  glorious  in  the  face  of  the  world, 
after  the  manner  of  gentiles.  But  because  thou  art  stiff- 
necked,  wild,  and  art  given  to  walk  without  a  bridle  and 
line,  therefore  now  I  will  prevent  thy  evil  and  beastly  man- 
ners ;  I  will  hedge  strongly  thy  way  ;  I  will  make  a  durable 
law,  which  shall  compel  thee  to  walk  ordinately,  and  in  a 
plain  way  :  that  is,  thou  shalt  not  choose  thee  a  king  after 
thy  will  and  phantasy,  but  after  me  thy  Lord  and  God. " 

Thus   God  conditioned  with   the  Jews,  that   their   king  The  jews 
should  be  such  a  one  as  he  himself  would  choose  them.     This  ei1  to  choose 

a  king  to  their 

was  not  much  unlike  a  bargain  that  I  heard  of  late  should  Jj^ f^Je 

be  betwixt  two  friends  for  a  horse :  the  owner  promised  the  hlve°ttiemUld 

other  should  have  the  horse  if  he  would ;   the  other  asked  choose' 

the  price ;    he  said  twenty  nobles.      The    other  would  give 

him  but  four  pound.      The  owner  said  he  should  not  have 

him  then.      The   other  claimed  the  horse,   because   he  said 

he  should  have  him  if  he  would.      Thus  this  bargain  became  a  merrv  and 

o  wise  tale. 

a  Westminster  matter :  the  lawyers  got  twice  the  value  of 
the  horse ;  and  when  all  came  to  all,  two  fools  made  an  end 
of  the  matter.  Howbeit  the  Israelites  could  not  go  to  law 
with  God  for  choosing  their  king;  for  would  they,  nil  they, 
them  king  should  be  of  his  choosing,  lest  they  should  walk 
inordinately  in  a  deceivable  way,  unto  their  utter  loss  and 
destruction :  for,  as  they  say  commonly,  Qui  vadit  plane,  a  common 
vadit  sane ;  that  is,  "  He  that  walketh  plainly,  walkcth 
safely."  As  the  Jews  were  stiff-necked,  and  were  ever 
ready  to  walk  inordinately,  no  less  are  we  Englishmen  given 
to  unto  war  dness,  and  inordinate  walking  after  our  own  phan- 
tasies and  brains.  We  will  walk  without  the  limits  of  God's 
word;  we  will  choose  a  king  at  our  own  pleasure.  But  let  isam.xix. 
us  learn  to  frame  our  lives  after  the  noble  king  David,  which, 
■when  he  had  many  occasions  given  of  king  Saul  to  work 
evil  for  evil,  yea,  and  having  many  times  opportunity  to 
perform  mischief,  and  to  slay  king  Saul;  nevertheless  yet  i  sam.  xxiv. 
fearing,  would  not  follow  his  fleshly  affections,  and  walk 
inordinately  without  the  will  of  God's  word,  which  he  con- 
fessed always  to  be  his  direction,   saying,  Lucema  pedibus  rsaim  inn 


90 


FIRST    SERMON     PREACHED     BEFORE 


[1  Sam.  xxh 


1  S;i!ii. 


[Deut.  xii. 
28.] 

Fantastical 
brains  are 

inordinately 


God  calleth 
liis  ministers 
by  divers 
names. 


rneis  verbum  tuum  et  lumen  semitis  meis ;  "  Thy  word,  O 
Lord,  is  a  lantern  unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto  my  steps." 
Tims  having  in  mind  to  walk  ordinately,  he  did  always  avoid 
to  do  evil.  For  when  king  Saul  was  in  a  cave  without  any 
man,  David  and  his  men  sitting  by  the  sides  of  the  cave, 
yea,  and  David's  men  moving  him  to  kill  Saul,  David  made 
answer  and  said  unto  them,  Servet  me  Dominus,  ne  rem 
istam  contra  dominum  meum  Messiam,  fyc.,  that  is,  "  The 
Lord  keep  mo  from  doing  this  thing  unto  my  master,  that 
is  the  Lord's  anointed."  At  another  time  also,  moved  by 
Ahishai  to  kill  Saul  sleeping,  David  said,  Ne  interficias  eum; 
1 1 uis  enim  impune  manum  suam  inferret  undo  Domino,  fyc, 
that  is,  "Destroy  him  not;  for  who  can  lay  his  hands  on 
the  Lord's  anointed,  and  bo  guiltless?"  &c.  I  would  God 
we  would  follow  king  David,  and  then  we  should  walk  or- 
dinately,  and  yet  do  but  that  we  arc  bound  of  duty  to  do: 
tor  God  saith,  Quod  ego  praicipio,  hoc  tantum  facito,  "That 
thing  which  1  command,  that  only  do."  There  is  a  great 
error  risen  now-a-days  among  many  of  us,  which  are  vain 
ami  Qew-fangled  men1,  climbing  beyond  the-  limits  of  our 
capacity  and  wit,  in  wrenching  this  text  of  scripture  here- 
after following  after  their  own  phantasy  and  brain:  their 
error  is  upon  this  text,  Audi  vocem  populi  in  omnibus  quoz 
dicunt  tibi;  non  enim  te  reprobant,  sed  me  reprobarunt  ne 
regnem  super  eos :  that  is,  "  Hear  the  voice  of  the  people 
in  all  that  they  say  unto  thee;  for  they  have  not  cast  thee 
away,  but  me."  They  wrench  these  words  awry  after  their 
own  phantasies,  and  make  much  doubt  as  touching  a  king 
and  his  godly  name.  They  that  so  do  walk  inordinately, 
they  walk  not  directly  and  plainly,  but  delight  in  balks  and 
stubble  way. 

It  maketh  no  matter  by  Avhat  name  the  rulers  be  named, 
if  so  be  they  shall  walk  ordinatery  with  God,  and  direct  their 
steps  with  God.  For  both  patriarchs,  judges,  and  kings,  had 
and  have  their  authority  of  God,  and  therefore  godly.  But 
this  ought  to  be  considered  which  God  saith,  Non  prcejicere 
tibi  potes  hominem  alienum ;  that  is,  "  Thou  must  not  set  a 


['  Strype  (Eccl.  Mem,  a.  i.  38,  Oxf. 
new-fangled  men  here  alluded  to  were 
papists."] 


Edit.)  observes  that  the 
"set   up   probably  by   the 


VII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  91 

stranger  over  thee."  It  hath  pleased  God  to  grant  us  aKingEdward 
natural  liege  king  and  lord  of  our  own  nation;  an  Englishman;  natu^wng, 
one  of  our  own  religion.      God  hath  given  him  unto  us,  and  precious'trea- 

ri-..  .  ,  sure. 

[he  J  is  a  most  precious  treasure ;  and  yet  many  of  us  do 
desire  a  stranger  to  be  king  over  us.  Let  us  no  more  now 
desire  to  be  bankers2,  but  let  us  endeavour  to  walk  ordinatcly 
and  plainly  after  the  word  of  God.  Let  us  follow  David  : 
let  us  not  seek  the  death  of  our  most  noble  and  rightful 
king,  our  own  brother  both  by  nativity  and  godly  religion. 
Let  us  pray  for  his  good  state,  that  he  live  long  among 
us. 

Oh,  what  a  plague  were  it,  that  a  strange  king,  of  a 
strange  land,  and  of  a  strange  religion,  should  reign  over  us ! 
Where  now  wo  be  governed  in  the  true  religion,  he  should  ^stranger 
extirp  and  pluck  away  altogether;  and  then  plant  again  all S5ae^wSd" 
abomination  and  popery.      God  keep  such  a  king  from  us  !  a'JfhyjKy- 
Well,  the  king's  Grace  hath  sisters,  my  lady  Mary  and  my 
lady  Elizabeth,  which  by  succession  and  course  are  inheritors 
to  the  crown,  who  if  they  should  marry  with  strangers,  what 
should  ensue  ?    God  knoweth.     But  God  grant,  if  they  so  do, 
whereby  strange  religion  cometh  in3,  that  they  never  come 
unto  coursing  nor  succeeding.    Therefore,  to  avoid  this  plague,  The  way  t<> 
let  us  amend  our  lives,  and  put  away  all  pride,  which  doth  wr"tii  from  s 
drown  men  in  this  realm  at  these  days ;    all   covetousness,  mo™  a»  vk,e 
wherein  the  magistrates  and  rich  men  of  this  realm  are  over- 
whelmed ;  all  lechery,  and  other  excessive  vices,  provoking- 
God's  wrath  (were  he  not  merciful)  even  to  take  from  us  our 
natural  king  and  liege  lord ;   yea,  and  to  plague  us  with  a 
strange  kino-,  for  our  unrepentant  heart.      Wherefore  if,  as  They  that 

i  .1         t  •  i  v  i     ,i  love  God  or 

ye   say,  ye   love  the   kino;,  amend  your  hves,  and  then  ye  <liL'  kii,R wi|1 

«/«/'«/  »7  <1  «/       amend  (heir 

shall  be  a  mean  that  God  shall  lend  him  us  long  to  reign  sinful  livi"K- 
over  us.  For  undoubtedly  sins  provoke  much  God's  wrath. 
Scripture  saith,  Dabo  tibi  regem  in  furore  meo,  that  is,  [Hos.  xhi. 
"  I  will  give  thee  a  king  in  my  wrath."  Now,  we  have  a 
lawful  king,  a  godly  king :  nevertheless,  yet  many  evils  do 
reign.  Long  time  the  ministers  appointed  have  studied  to 
amend  and  redress  all  evils ;  long  time  before  this  great 
labour  hath  been  about  this  matter ;  great  cracks  hath  been 

[2  A  mistake  probably  for  balkers;  i.  q.  bye- walkers.] 

[3  if  they  so  do  whereby  strange  religion  cometh  in,  not  in  1549.] 


92  FIRST    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [SEEM. 

made,  that  all  should  be  well :  but  when  all  came  to  all,  for 
all  their  boasts,  little  or  nothing  was  done ;  in  whom  these 
words  of  Horace1  may  well  be  verified,  saying,  Parturiunt 
monies,  nascitur  ridiculus  mus,  "  The  mountains  swell  up, 
the  poor  mouse  is  brought  out."  Long  before  this  time 
many  hath  taken  in  hand  to  bring  many  things  unto  pass, 
but  finally  then  works  came  unto  small  effect  and  profit, 

Now  I  hear  say  all  things  are  ended  after  a  godly  man- 
ner, or  else  shortly  shall  be.      Make  haste,  make  haste ;  and 
Latimer  was  iet  us  learn  to  convert,  to  repent,  and  amend  our  lives.     If 

a  true  pro-  * 

phet.  we  (j0  not?  i  fear)  j  fear  lest  for  our  sins  and  unthankfulness 

an  hypocrite  shall  reign  over  us.      Long  we  have  been  ser- 

God hath  sent  vants  and  in  bondage,  serving  the  pope  in  Egypt.     God  hath 

usadeliverer.      .  ,   ..  °  i    i  •  i  i 

Let  us  no      o'lycn  us  a  deliverer,  a  natural  king  :  let  us  seek  no  stranger 

more  seek  to    &  »  m  .  .  . 

straii..''r  0*'  another  nation,  no  hypocrite  winch  shall  bring  in  again 
all  papistry,  hypocrisy,  and  idolatry ;  no  diabolical  minister, 
which  shall  maintain  all  devilish  works  and   evil  exercises. 

Let  us  pray    But  let  us  pray  that  God  maintain  and  continue  our  most 

for  our  king.  .  .  ...  />       i   •  1 

excellent  king  here  present,  true  inheritor  ot   this  our  realm, 

both  by  nativity,  and  also  by  the  special  gift  and  ordinance 

of  God.      He  doth  us  rectify  in  the  liberty  of  the  gospel ; 

Gai.  v.         jn  that  therefore  let  us  stand :  State  ergo  in  libertate  qua 

Christus  nos  Uberavit ;  "  Stand  ye  in  the  liberty  wherewith 

Christ   hath   made   us   free."      In  Christ's  liberty  we   shall 

stand,  if  we  so  live  that  we  profit ;  if  we  cast  away  all  evil, 

fraud,  and  deceit,  with  such  other  vices,  contrary  to  God's 

word.      And   in    so    doing,   we   shall   not   only   prolong   and 

maintain  our  most  noble  king's  days  in  prosperity,  but  also 

we  shall  prosper  our  own  lives,  to  live  not  only  prosperously, 

but  also  godly. 

[.IrtoTn?ui  "  ^n  any  wise'  le^  no^  sucn  a  one  PrePare  unt°  himself 

l:,")1']"1'  E(l'  many  horses,"  &c.     In  speaking  these  words,  ye  shall  under- 

meauVihata  stand  that  I  do  not  intend  to  speak  against  the  strength, 

pmuv  should  policy 9  an(j  provision  of  a  king ;  but  against  excess,  and  vain 

es'  trust  that  kings  have  in  themselves  more  than  in  the  living 

God,  the  author  of  all  goodness,  and  giver  of  all  victory. 

Many  horses  are  requisite  for  a  king ;  but  he  may  not  exceed 

in  them,  nor  triumph  in  them,  more  than  is  needful  for  the 

necessary  affairs  and  defence  of  the  realm.      What  mcaneth 

[i  De  Arte  Poet.  139.] 


Vir.j  KING     EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  93 

it  that  God  hath  to  do  with  the  king's  stable,  but  only  be 
would  be  master  of  his  horses?  The  scripture  saith.  In  altis 
habitat,  "He  dwelleth  on  high."  It  followeth,  Hum  ilia  Psaim  exit, 
respicit,  "  He  looketh  on  low  things ;"  yea,  upon  the  king's 
stables,  and  upon  all  the  offices  in  his  house.  God  is  the  God  is  grand 
great  Grandmaster2  of  the  king's  house,  and  will  take  account  SnVf house? 
of  every  one  that  beareth  rule  therein,  for  the  executing  of 
their  offices ;  whether  they  have  justly  and  truly  served  the 
king  in  their  offices,  or  no.  Yea,  God  looketh  upon  the 
king  himself,  if  he  work  well  or  not.  Every  king  is  subject 
unto  God,  and  all  other  men  are  subjects  unto  the  king.  In 
a  king  God  requireth  faith,  not  excess  of  horses.  Horses 
for  a  king  be  good  and  necessary,  if  they  be  well  used ;  but 
horses  are  not  to  be  preferred  above  poor  men.  I  was  once 
offended  with  the  king's  horses,  and  therefore  took  occasion 
to  speak  in  the  presence  of  the  king's  majesty  that  dead  is, 
when  abbeys  stood.  Abbeys  were  ordained  for  the  comfort 
of  the  poor :  wherefore  I  said,  it  was  not  decent  that  the 
king's  horses  should  be  kept  in  them3,  as  many  were  at  that 
time ;  the  living  of  poor  men  thereby  minished  and  taken 
away.  But  afterward  a  certain  nobleman  said  to  me,  What 
hast  thou  to  do  with  the  king's  horses  ?  I  answered  and 
said,  I  spake  my  conscience,  as  God's  word  directed  me. 
He  said,  Horses  be  the  maintenances  and  part  of  a  king's 
honour,  and  also  of  Iris  realm ;  wherefore  in  speaking  against 
them,  ye  are  against  the  king's  honour.  I  answered,  God  An  answer 
teacheth    what   honour  is  decent   for  the  kino;    and  for  all  true  honour* 

•/f  of  a  king. 

other  men  according  unto  them  vocations.  God  appomteth 
every  king  a  sufficient  living  for  his  state  and  degree,  both 
by  lands  and  other  customs;  and  it  is  lawful  for  every  king 
to  enjoy  the  same  goods  and  possessions.  But  to  extort  and 
take  away  the  right  of  the  poor,  is  against  the  honour  of  the 

[2  The  office  now  called  Lord  Chamberlain.] 

[3  Sir  Arthur  Darcy,  in  a  letter  which  informs  lord  Cromwell  of 
the  suppression  of  the  abbey  of  Jervaulx  or  Jorvalles,  in  Yorkshire, 
writes :  "  The  kynges  hyenes  is  att  greatt  charge  with  hys  sstoodes  of 
mares ...  I  thynke  thatt  att  Gervayes  and  in  the  grangyes  incydent, 
with  the  hellp  off  ther  grett  commones,  the  kynges  hyenes  by  good 
overseers  scholld  hare  ther  the  most  best  pasture  that  scholld  be 
in  Yngland."  Letters  relating  to  the  Suppression  of  Monasteries, 
p.  158.] 


94  FIRST    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

He  describe  th  king.      If1    you   do  move   the  king  to   do  after   that   man- 
;,     ner,  then  you  speak  against  the  honour  of  the  king;  for  I 
£;;', ,m,sl       full  certify  you,  extortioners,  violent  oppressors,  ingrossers  of 
tenements   and   lands,    through    whose    covetousness   villages 
decay  and  fall  down,  the  king's  liege  people  for  lack  of  sus- 
tenance are   famished  and  decayed, — they  be   those    which 
speak  against  the  honour  of  the  king.      God  requireth  in  the 
king  and  all  magistrates  a  good  heart,  to  walk  directly  in 
his  ways,  and  in  all  subjects  an  obedience  due  unto  a  king. 
Therefore  I  pray  God  both  the  king,  and  also  we  his  people, 
may  endeavour  diligently  to  walk  in  Ms  ways,  to  his  great 
honour  and  our  profit. 
plnof'the  "  Let  him  not  prepare  unto  himself  too  many  wives,"  &c. 

kTu*'.]  Although  we  read  here  that  the  kings  amongst  the  Jews  had 
.k.wfhada16  liberty  to  take  more  wives  than  one,  we  may  not  therefore 
t.riiave'more  attempt  to  walk  inordinately,  and  to  think  that  we  may  take 
one.  also  many  wives.      For  Christ  hath  forbidden  this  unto  us 

Christians.  And  let  us  not  impute  sin  imto  the  Jews,  because 
they  had  many  wives ;  for  they  had  a  dispensation  so  to  do. 
Christ  limiteth  unto  us  one  wife  only ;  and  it  is  a  great  tiling 
for  a  man  to  rule  one  wife  rightly  and  ordinately.  For  a 
woman  is  frail,  and  proclive  unto  all  evils:  a  woman  is  a  very 
weak  vessel,  and  may  soon  deceive  a  man  and  bring  him  unto 
evil.  Many  examples  we  have  in  holy  scripture.  Adam  had 
but  one  wife,  called  Eve,  and  how  soon  had  she  brought  him 
to  consent  unto  evil,  and  to  come  to  destruction  !  How  did 
wicked  Jezebel  pervert  king  Achab's  heart  from  God  and  all 
one  wife  is    godliness,  and  finally  unto  destruction!      It  is  a  very   hard 

hard  to  be        ~  « 

ruled  wel1-  tiling  for  a  man  to  rule  well  one  woman.  Therefore  let  our 
a  godiy       king,  what  time  his  grace  shall  be  so  minded  to  take  a  wife, 

woman  is  to  °  p 

be  du.sen.  choose  him  one  which  is  of  God ;  that  is,  which  is  of  the 
household  of  faith.  Yea,  let  all  estates  be  no  less  circumspect 
in  choosing  her,  taking  great  deliberation,  and  then  theya 
shall  not  need  divorcements,  and  such  mischiefs,  to  the  evil 
example  and  slander  of  our  realm.      And  that  she  be  such3 

i.ove  which    one  as  the  king  can  find  in  his  heart  to  love,  and  lead  his  life 

is  godly  is  to    . 

nbov''llured   in  Pure  a      cuaste  espousage ;  and  then  he  shall  be  the  more 
fn"!arriage"s  Prone  and  ready  to  advance  God's  glory,  and  to  punish  and 
to  extirp  the  great  lechery  used  in  this  realm. 

[i  And.  1549.]  [2  they,  not  in  1549.]  [3  such,  not  in  1549.] 


VII. j  KING     EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  95 

Therefore  we  ought  to  make  a  continual  prayer  unto 
God  for  to  grant  our  king's  grace  such  a  mate  as  may  knit 
his  heart  and  hers,  according  to  God's  ordinance  and  law ; 
and  not  to4  consider  and  cleave  only  to  a5  politic  matter 
or  conjunction,  for  the  enlarging  of  dominions,  for  surety  and 
defence  of  countries,  setting  apart  the  institution  and  ordi- 
nance of  God.  We  have  now  a  pretty  little  shilling6  indeed, 
a  very  pretty  one:  I  have  but  one,  I  think,  in  my  purse;  and 
the  last  day  I  had  put  it  away  almost  for  an  old  groat :  and 
so  I  trust  some  will  take  them.  The  fineness  of  the  silver  I 
cannot  see:  but  therein  is  printed  a  fine  sentence,  that  is,  Timor  rprov.  xiv. 
Domini  fons  vit,e  vel  sapienti^e  ;  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  2"] 
is  the  fountain  of  life  or  wisdom."  I  would  God  this  sentence 
were  always  printed  in  the  heart  of  the  king  in  choosing  Ins 
wife,  and  in  all  his  officers.  For  like  as  the  fear  of  God  is 
fons  sapientice  or  vitce,  so  the  forgetting  of  God  is  fons  stul-  poiicyint 
titice,  the  fountain  of  foolishness,  or  of  death,  although  it  be  brinseth 
never  so  politic;  for  upon  such  politic  matters  death  doth 
ensue  and  follow ;  all  their  divorcements  and  other  like 
conditions,  to  the  great  displeasure  of  Almighty  God  :  which 
evils,  I  fear  me,  are  much  used  in  these  days,  in  the 
marriage  of  noblemen's  children ;  for  joining  lands  to  lands, 
possessions  to  possessions,  neither  the  virtuous  education  nor 
living  being  regarded;  but  in  the  infancy  such  marriages  be 
made,  to  the  displeasure  of  God,  and  breach  of  espousals. 

Let  the  king  therefore  choose  unto  him  a  godly  wife, 
whereby  he  shall  the  better  live  chaste ;  and  in  so  living,  all 
godliness  shall  increase,  and  righteousness  be  maintained. 
Notwithstanding,  I  know  hereafter  some  will  come  and  move 
your  grace  towards  wantonness,  and  to  the  inclination  of  the 
flesh  and  vain  affections.  But  I  would  your  grace  should 
bear  in  memory  an  history  of  a  good  king  called  Lewis7,  a  notable 
that  travelled  towards  the  Holy  Land  (which  was  a  great  a  French 

[4  to,  not  in  1549.] 

[5  a,  not  in  1549.] 

[6  A  description  of  the  coin  to  which  Bp.  Latimer  is  supposed 
here  to  allude,  is  given  by  Folkes,  "  Table  of  English  Silver  Coins." 
pp.  28,  et  seq.] 

[7  Lewis  IX  of  France  is  the  "good  king'  alluded  to.  But  the 
preacher's  memory  seems  to  have  failed  him  as  to  the  "history." 
The  following  is  the  story  as  given  by  Fr.  Gaufridus  do  Bello-Loco. 

"Nee 


The  good 
counsels  of 
bishops. 


96  FIRST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

matter  in  those  days),  and  by  the  way  sickened.  And  upon 
this  matter  the  physicians  did  consult  with  the  bishops,  who 
did  conclude  that  it  would  be  lawful  for  the  king  to  commit 
sin,  if  thereby  his  sickness  could  be  removed1.  This  good 
king  hearing  their  conclusion  would  not  assent  thereunto,  but 
said  he  had  rather  be  sick  even  unto  death  than  he  would 
break  his  espousals.  Wo  worth  such  counsellors !  Bishops  ! 
Nay,  rather  buzzards. 

Nevertheless,  if  the  king  should  have  consented  to  their 
conclusion,  and  accomplished  the  same,  if  he  had  not  chanced 
well,  they  would  have  excused  the  matter  :  as  I  have  heard 
of  two  that  have  consulted  together,  and  according  to  the 
advice  of  his  friend,  the  one  of  them  wrought  where  the 
succession  was  not  good ;  the  other  imputed  a  piece  of 
reproach  to  him  for  his  such  counsel  given.  He  excused  the 
matter,  saying,  that  he  gave  him  none  other  counsel,  but  if 
it  had  been  his  cause  ho  would  have  done  likewise.  So*  I 
think  the  bishops  would  have  excused  the  matter,  if  the  king 
should  have  reproved  them  for  their  counsel.  I  do  not  read 
Note.  that  the  king  did  rebuke  them  for  their  counsel ;  but  if  he 

had,  I  know  what  would  have  been  their  answer :  they 
would  have  said,  We  give  you  no  worse  counsel  than  we 
would  have  followed  ourselves,  had  we  been  in  like  case. 

Well,  sir,  this  king  did  well,  and  had  the  fear  of  God 

The  king      before  his  eyes.      He  would  not  walk  in  by-walks,  where  are 

avoiZi'evfi.  many  balks.      Amongst  many  balkings  is  much  stumbling ; 

and  by  stumbling  it  chanceth  many  times  to  fall  down  to  the 

ground.      And  therefore  let  us  not  take  any  by-walks,  but 

let  God's  word  direct  us  :  let  us  not  walk  after,  nor  lean  to 

"  Nee  prpetereundum  tie  quodam  religiose-,  qui  a  falsis  relatoribus 
audierat  quod  dominus  hie  rex  ante  matrimouium  suum  concubinas 
habebat,  cum  quibus  quandoque  peccabat,  conscia  vel  dissimulante 
matre  sua.  Quod  cum  ille  religiosus  cum  multa  admiratione,  quasi 
earn  redarguendo,  dominse  reginse  dixisset;  ilia,  super  hac  falsitate, 
se  et  filium  humiliter  excusavit,  verbum  laudabile  subiuferens,  vide- 
licet— '  quod  si  dictus  Alius  suus  rex,  quern  super  omnes  creaturas 
mortales  diligebat,  infirmaretur  ad  mortem,  et  diceretur  ei  quod  sana- 
retur  semel  peccando  cum  muliere  non  sua,  prius  permitteret  ipsum 
mori,  quam  semel  peccando  niortaliter  suum  offendere  Creatorem.' 
Hoc  ego  ab  ore  ipsius  domini  Regis  audivi."  Vita  et  sancta  con- 
versat.  S.  Ludovici,  c.  iv.  p.  G.  Par.  1617.] 

['  This  sentence  is  varied  from  the  original.] 


VII.]  KING     EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  97 

our  own  judgments,  and  proceedings  of  our  forefathers,  nor 
seek  not  what  they  did,  but  what  they  should  have  done :  of 
which  tiling  the  scripture  admonisheth  us,  saying,  Ne  incline-  Deut.  to. 
mus  prceceptis  et  traditionibus  patram,  neque  faciamus  quod 
videtur  rectum  in  oculis  nostris ;  "  Let  us  not  incline  our- 
selves unto  the  precepts  and  traditions  of  our  fathers ;  nor 
let  us  do  that  seenieth  right  in  our  eyes."  But  surely  we 
will  not  exchange  our  fathers'  doings  and  traditions  with 
scripture ;  but  cliiefly  lean  unto  them  and  to  their  prescrip- 
tion, and  do  that  seemeth  good  in  our  own  eyes.  But  surely 
that  is  going  down  the  ladder :  scala  cosli\  as  it  was  made 
by  the  pope,  came  to  be  a  mass ;  but  that  is  a  false  ladder  to 
bring  men  to  heaven.  The  true  ladder  to  bring  a  man  to 
heaven  is  the  knowledge  and  following  of  the  scripture. 

Let  the  king  therefore  choose  a  wife  which  feareth  God;  The  third 
let  him  not  seek  a  proud  wanton,  and  one  full  of  rich  trea-  sermon. 
sures  and  worldly  pomp. 

"  He  shall  not  multiply  unto  himself  too  much  gold  and 
silver."  Is  there  too  much,  think  you,  for  a  king  ?  God 
doth  allow  much  unto  a  king,  and  it  is  expedient  that  he 
should  have  much  ;  for  he  hath  great  expenses,  and  many 
occasions  to  spend  much  for  the  defence  and  surety  of  his 
realm  and  subjects.  And  necessary  it  is  that  a  king  have 
a  treasure  always  in  a  readiness  for  that,  and  such  other 
affairs  as  be  daily  in  his  hands :  the  which  treasure,  if  it 
be  not  sufficient,  he  may  lawfully  and  with  a  safe  conscience 
take  taxes  of  his  subjects.  For  it  were  not  meet  the  treasure 
should  be  in  the  subjects'  purses,  when  the  money  should  be 
occupied,  nor  it  were  not  best  for  themselves;  for  the  lack 
thereof  might  cause  both  it,  and  all  the  rest  that  they  have, 
should  not  long  be  theirs.  And  so,  for  a  necessary  and 
expedient  occasion,  it  is  warranted  by  God's  word  to  take 

[2  "  In  the  church  of  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary  [at  Rome]  is  thalter 
which  is  called  [as  is  also  the  church  itself]  scala  cceli.  Upon  this  altar 
if  they  that  syng  masse  or  cause  masses  to  be  song  for  the  soules  that 
are  in  purgatory,  thorow  the  merits  of  the  same  blessed  Virgin,  the 
sayd  soules  are  delivered  out  of  hand  from  the  bytter  paynes  of  purga- 
tory, and  brought  unto  the  everlasting  joys  of  heaven.  Moreover, 
whatsoever  thinge  is  devoutlye  asked  in  that  place,  it  is  strayghtwayes 
wythoute  all  doubte  obtayned.  And  there  is  greate  aboundaunce  of 
pardon  a  poena  et  a  culpa  toties  qnoties."  Becon's  Works,  Vol.  in.  fol. 
183,  202.] 

7 
[latimer.] 


98  FIRST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

Note  when    0f  the  subjects.       But  if  there  be  sufficient  treasures,  and  the 

the  king  hath  J  .  ... 

to<»  much  of  burdening  of  subjects  be  for  a  vain  thing,   so  that  he  will 

his  commons.  o  J  ° 

require  thus  much  or  so  much  of  his  subjects,  (which  per- 
chance are  in  great  necessity  and  penury;)  then  this  covetous 
intent,  and  the  request  thereof,  is  "too  much,"  which  God  for- 
biddeth  the  king  here  in  this  place  of  scripture  to  have.  But 
who  shall  see  this  "too  much,"  or  tell  the  king  of  this  "too 
None  that  be  much"  ?  Think  you,  any  of  the  king's  privy  chamber  ?  No, 
the  kmg.°  for  fear  of  loss  of  favour.  Shall  any  of  his  sworn  chaplains  ? 
No  :  they  be  of  the  closet,  and  keep  close  such  matters.  But 
the  king  himself  must  see  this  "too  much"  ;  and  that  shall  he 
do  by  no  means  with  the  corporal  eyes.  Wherefore  he  must 
have  a  pair  of  spectacles,  which  shall  have  two  clear  sights 
in  them:  that  is,  that  one  is  faith;  not  a  seasonable  faith, 
which  shall  last  but  a  while,  but  a  faith  which  is  continuing 
in  God :  the  second  clear  sight  is  charity,  which  is  fervent 
towards  his  christian  brother.  By  them  two  must  the  king 
see  ever  when  he  hath  too  much.  But  few  there  be  that 
use  these  spectacles :  the  more  is  their  damnation.  Not  with- 
chrysostom's  out  cause  Chrysostom  with  admiration  saith1,  Miror  si  aliquis 
rectorum potest  salvari;  "I  marvel  if  any  ruler  can  be  saved." 
Which  words  he  speaketh  not  of  an  impossibility,  but  of  a 
great  difficulty ;  for  that  their  charge  is  marvellous  great, 
and  that  none  about  them  dare  shew  them  the  truth  of  the 
thing,  how  it  goeth. 
if  God  win  Well,   then,  if  God   will  not  allow   a  king   too  much, 

muiunto00  whether  will  he  allow  a  subject  too  much  ?  No,  that  he 
le's^umo  the  will  not.  Whether  have  any  man  here  in  England  too 
who  is  not    much?    I  doubt  most  rich  men  have  too  much;  for  without 

faulty  in 

muchV00     to°  mucn  we  can  get  nothing.      As  for  example,  the  phy- 

£wyyers?ns'    sician :  if  the  poor  man  be  diseased,  he  can  have  no  help 

rent-wise^,    without  too  much.     And  of  the  lawyer,  the  poor  man  can 

unnatural     get  no  counsel,  expedition,  nor  help  in  his  matter,  except  he 

give  him  too  much.      At  merchants''  hands  no  kind  of  ware 

can  be  had,  except  we  give  for  it  too  much.     You  landlords, 

you  rent-raisers2,  I  may  say  you  step-lords,  you  unnatural 

]}  In  Epist.  ad  Hebrseos,  cap.  xni.  Horn,  xxxiv.  Oper.  Tom.  xii. 
p.  313,  B.  Edit.  Bened.  Par.  1735.] 

[2  "  Rents  of  farms  were  raised  to  three  or  four  times  their  usual 
value;  thousands  of  farmers  were  turned  out  of  their  way  of  livelihood; 
and  this  raising  of  rents  enhanced  excessively  the  price  of  provisions, 


VII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  99 

lords,  you  have  for  your  possessions  yearly  too  much.  For 
that  here  before  went  for  twenty  or  forty  pound  by  year, 
(which  is  an  honest  portion  to  be  had  gratis  in  one  lordship 
of  another  man's  sweat  and  labour,)  now  is  let  for  fifty  or 
an  hundred  pound  by  year.  Of  this  "too  much"  cometh  this 
monstrous  and  portentous  dearth  made  by  man,  notwith- 
standing God  doth  send  us  plentifully  the  fruits  of  the  earth, 
mercifully,  contrary  unto  our  deserts :  notwithstanding,  too 
much,  which  these  rich  men  have,  causeth  such  dearth,  that 
poor  men,  which  live  of  their  labour,  cannot  with  the  sweat 
of  their  face  have  a  living,  all  kind  of  victuals  is  so  dear3; 
pigs,  geese,  capons,  chickens,  eggs,  &c.  These  things  with  Note  the 
other  are  so  unreasonably  enhanced ;  and  I  think  verily  that  man- 
if  it  thus  continue,  we  shall  at  length  be  constrained  to  pay 
for  a  pig  a  pound. 

I  will  tell  you,  my  lords  and  masters,  this  is  not  for  the  This  too 
king's  honour.     Yet  some  will  say,  Knowest  thou  what  be-  for  the  Wng-s 

°  i         i  •  honour. 

longeth  unto  the  king's  honour  better  than  we  ?  I  answer, 
that  the  true  honour  of  a  king  is  most  perfectly  mentioned 
and  painted  forth  in  the  scriptures,  of  which  if  ye  be  igno- 
rant, for  lack  of  time  that  ye  cannot  read  it ;  albeit  that 
your  counsel  be  never  so  politic,  yet  is  it  not  for  the  king's 
honour.     What  his  honour  meaneth,   ye  cannot  tell.      It  is  a  description 

i   •  i  i  i  ■  i-  ill-  i  of  the  king's 

the  king  s  honour  that  his  subjects  be  led  in  the  true  re-  honour. 

O  _  J  First,  in  true 

ligion ;  that  all   his  prelates  and  clergy  be  set  about  their  relieiom 
work  in  preaching  and  studying,  and  not  to  be  interrupted 
from   their   charge.      Also  it  is  the  king's  honour  that  the  secondly, 
commonwealth  be  advanced ;  that  the  dearth  of  these  fore-  commonalty. 
said   things   be   provided  for,  and  the   commodities   of  this 

which  was  the  more  grievous  to  the  nation  by  the  exportation  of  its  gold 
coin,  and  the  bringing  over  of  vast  quantities  of  counterfeit  money  of 
a  base  alloy  from  abroad."  Carte,  Hist,  of  England,  Vol.  m.  p.  233.] 
[3  Mi-  Hales,  one  of  the  commissioners  for  the  "redress  of  en- 
closures," observes  in  his  charge :  "  All  things  at  this  present,  saving- 
corn,  (which  by  reason  that  it  is  in  poor  men's  hands,  who  cannot 
keep  it,  is  good  cheap,)  be  so  dear  as  never  they  were ;  victuals  and 
all  other  things  that  be  necessary  for  man's  use.  And  yet,  as  it  is 
said,  there  was  never  more  cattle,  specially  sheep,  than  there  is  at 
this  present.  But  the  cause  of  the  dearth  is,  that  those  have  it  that 
may  choose  whether  they  will  sell  it  or  no ;  and  will  not  sell  it  but  at 
their  own  prices."     Strype,  Eccl.  Mem.  n.  ii.  p.  359.     Oxf.  Edit.] 

7—2 


100  FIRST    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

realm  so  employed,  as  it  may  be  to  the  setting  of  his1  subjects 

on  work,  and  keeping  them  from  idleness.     And  herein  rest- 

eth  the  king's  honour  and  his  office.      So  doing,  his  account 

before  God  shall  bo  allowed  and  rewarded.      Furthermore, 

Thirdly,  the   if  the  king's  honour,  as  some  men  say,  standeth  in  the  great 

stondethm11'  multitude  of  people ;  then  these  graziers,  inclosers,  and  rent- 

ofpeopie.      rearers,  are  hinderers  of  the  king's  honour.     For  where  as 

have   been    a    great    many    householders2    and    inhabitants, 

there  is  now  but  a  shepherd  and  his  dog :  so  they  hinder 

This  too       the  king's  honour  most  of  all.      My  lords  and  masters,  I  say 

make"'11      also,  that  all  such  proceedings  which  are  against  the  king's 

Jilverynrand  honour,  (as  I  have  a   part  declared  before,  and  as  far  as 

shavery?       I  can   perceive,)  do  intend  plainly   to  make  the  yeomanry 

slavery,  and  the  clergy  shavery.     For  such  works  are  all 

ciergy  had     singular,  private  wealth  and  commodity.    We  of  the  clergy 

bu°t ndlw too  had  too  much;  but  that  is  taken  away,  and  now  we  have  too 

little.     But  for  mine  own  part  I  have  no  cause  to  complain, 

for  I  thank  God  and  the  king,   I  have  sufficient ;  and  God 

is  my  judge,  I  came  not  to  crave  of  any  man  any  thing : 

but  I  know  them  that  have  too  little.      There  lieth  a  great 

matter  by  these  appropriations3 :  great  reformation  is  to  be 

had  in  them.      I  know  where  is  a  great  market-town,  with 

divers  hamlets  and  inhabitants,  where  do  rise  yearly  of  their 

o "theXrgy.  labours  to  the  value  of  fifty  pound,  and  the  vicar  that  serveth, 

[!  setting  his:   1549.] 

[2  many  of  householders,  1549.] 

[3  From  a  remote  period  it  had  been  the  custom  to  annex  the 
tithes,  &c.  of  livings  in  the  patronage  of  monastic  bodies,  to  those 
corporations  for  their  own  use  and  benefit,  a  portion  only  of  the 
profits  being,  in  each  case,  set  apart  for  the  officiating  priests  of  the 
parishes.  These  arrangements  were  called  appropriations;  and  by 
the  time  of  Henry  VIII.  the  profits  of  more  than  one  third  of 
all  the  benefices  in  England  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  religious 
houses  of  one  kind  or  other.  At  the  dissolution  of  the  monasteries, 
however,  the  tithes,  &c.  would,  by  the  rules  of  common  law,  have  gone 
back  to  the  several  parish-priests,  had  not  the  statutes  which  dissolved 
the  monasteries  made  over  all  the  appropriations  to  the  crown.  From 
the  crown  impropriations  passed  into  various  hands,  and  remain  there 
to  this  day;  while  the  "vicar  that  serveth"  is  now  but  too  often  "not 
able  to  buy  him  books,  nor  give  his  neighbour  drink."  Blackstone, 
Comment.  B.  r.  ch.  xi.  §  5.  Kennet,  Case  of  Impropriations,  pp.  18, 
ft    seq.] 


VII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  101 

being  so  great  a  cure,  hath  but  twelve  or  fourteen  marks 
by  year ;  so  that  of  this  pension  he  is  not  able  to  buy  him 
books,  nor  give  his  neighbour  drink ;  all  the  great  gain  gocth 
another  way. 

My  father  was  a  yeoman,  and  had  no  lands  of  his  own,  An  example 
only  he  had  a  farm  of  three  or  four  pound  by  year  at  the  yeomanry. 
uttermost,  and  hereupon  he  tilled  so  much  as  kept  half  a 
dozen  men.  He  had  walk  for  a  hundred  sheep ;  and  my 
mother  milked  thirty  kino.  He  was  able,  and  did  find  the 
king  a  harness,  with  himself  and  his  horse,  while  he  came  to 
the  place  that  he  should  receive  the  king's  wages.  I  can 
remember  that  I  buckled  his  harness  when  he  went  unto 
Blackheath  field4.  He  kept  me  to  school,  or  else  I  had  not 
been  able  to  have  preached  before  the  king's  majesty  now. 
He  married  my  sisters  with  five  pound,  or  twenty  nobles 
apiece ;  so  that  he  brought  them  up  in  godliness  and  fear  of 
God.  He  kept  hospitality  for  his  poor  neighbours,  and  some 
alms  he  gave  to  the  poor.  And  all  this  he  did  of  the  said 
farm,  where  he  that  now  hath  it  payeth  sixteen  pound  by 
year,  or  more,  and  is  not  able  to  do  any  thing  for  his  prince, 
for  himself,  nor  for  his  children,  or  give  a  cup  of  drink  to 
the  poor. 

Thus  all  the  enhancing  and  rearing  goeth  to  your  private 
commodity  and  wealth.      So  that  where  ye  had  a  single  too 
much,  you  have  that ;  and  since  the  same,  ye  have  enhanced 
the  rent,  and  so  have  increased  another  too  much :  so  now 
ye  have  double  too  much,  which  is  too  too  much.     But  let 
the  preacher  preach  till  his  tongue  be  worn  to  the  stumps,  No  preaching 
nothing  is  amended.     We  have  good  statutes5  made  for  the  evil.  e  p  l  ' 
commonwealth,  as  touching  commoners  and  inclosers6 ;  many  Many 
meetings  and  sessions ;  but  in  the  end  of  the  matter  there  butsmaii 

.  .  help 

cometh  nothing  forth7.      Well,  well,  this  is  one  thing  I  will 

[4  Where  the  Cornish  rebels  were  defeated  in  1497.  Carte,  Hist, 
of  England,  11.  850.] 

[5  4  Henry  VII.  c.  19 :  7  Henry  VIII.  c.  1 :  25  Henry  VIII.  c.  13 : 
27  Henry  VIII.  c.  22.] 

[6  commoners,  enclosers  :  1549,  1562.] 

[7  A  royal  commission  had  been  issued  and  acted  upon  in  1548 
with  a  view  to  redress  the  grievances  and  misery  occasioned  by  these 
inclosures :  and  Mr  Hales,  one  of  the  commissioners,  attempted  in  the 
next  session  of  parliament  to  have  three  different  bills  passed  with  the 


102  FIRST    SERMOX    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

say  unto  you :  from  whence  it  cometh  I  know,  even  from  the 
devil.      I  know  his  intent  in  it.      For  if  ye  bring  it  to  pass 

The  decay     that  the  yeomanry  be  not  able  to  put  their  sons  to  school, 

andepuTity  of  (as  indeed  universities  do  wonderously  decay  already,)  and 
that  they  be  not  able  to  marry  their  daughters  to  the  avoiding 
of  whoredom ;  I  say,  ye  pluck  salvation  from  the  people,  and 
utterly  destroy  the  realm.  For  by  yeomen's  sons  the  faith 
of  Christ  is  and  hath  been  maintained  chiefly.  Is  this  realm 
taught  by  rich  men's  sons  ?  No,  no  ;  read  the  chronicles :  ye 
shall  find  sometime  noblemen's  sons  which  have  been  un- 
preaching  bishops  and  prelates,  but  ye  shall  find  none  of  them 
learned  men.      But  verily  they  that  should  look  to  the  re- 

a  noubie  dress  of  these  things  be  the  greatest  against  them.  In  this 
realm  are  a  great  many  folks,  and  amongst  many  I  know  but 
one1  of  tender  zeal2,  who  at  the  motion  of  his  poor  tenants  hath 
let  down  his  lands  to  the  old  rents  for  their  relief.  For  God's 
love  let  not  him  be  a  phenix,  let  him  not  be  alone,  let  him 
not  be  an  hermit  closed  in  a  wall ;  some  good  man  follow 
him,  and  do  as  he  giveth  example. 

surveyors  are         Surveyors  there  be,  that  greedily  gorge  up  their  covetous 

hand-makers.  '  J  '  °  J    &      b         X 

goods ;  hand-makers,  1  mean :  honest  men  1  touch  not ;  but 
all  such  as  survey,  they  make  up  their  mouths,  but  the  com- 
mons be  utterly  undone  by  them ;  whose  bitter  cry  ascending 

The  cry  of  up  to  the  ears  of  the  God  of  Sabaoth,  the  greedy  pit  of  hell- 
burning  fire,  without  great  repentance,  doth  tarry  and  look 
for  them.  A  redress  God  grant !  For  surely,  surely,  but 
that  two  tilings  do  comfort  me,  I  would  despair  of  redress  in 
these  matters.  One  is,  that  the  king's  majesty,  when  he 
cometh  to  age,  will  see  a  redress  of  these  things  so  out  of 
frame  ;  giving  example  by  letting  down  his  own  lands  first, 
and  then  enjoin  his  subjects  to  follow  him.  The  second 
hope  I  have,  is,  I  believe  that  the  general  accounting  day  is 
at  hand,   the  dreadful  day  of  judgment,  I  mean,  which  shall 

[jcr.  vi.  14.]  make  an  end  of  all  these  calamities  and  miseries.  For,  as 
the  scriptures  be,  Cum  dixerint,  Pax,  ]iax,  "  When  they 
shall  say,  Peace,  peace,"  Omnia  tuta,  "  All  things  are  sure ;" 

same  view,  "  but  in  the  end  of  the  matter  there  came  nothing  forth." 
Carte,  in.  234 :  Strype,  Eccl.  Mem.  n.  i.  145,  et  seq.  ii.  348,  et  seq. 
Oxf.  Edit.] 

[*  Perhaps  the  above-mentioned  Mr  Hales.] 

[2  zeal  at,  1549.] 


VII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  103 

then  is  the  day  at  hand :  a  merry  day,  I  say,  for  all  such  as 
do  in  tliis  world  study  to  serve  and  please  God,  and  continue 
in  his  faith,  fear,  and  love ;  and  a  dreadful  horrible  day  for 
those  that  decline  from  God,  walking  in  their  own  ways ;  to 
whom,  as  it  is  written  in  the  twenty-fifth  of  Matthew,  it  is 
said,  Ite,  maledicti,  in  ignem  ceternum,  "  Go,  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  punishment,  where  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing 
of  teeth."  But  unto  the  other  he  shall  say,  Venite,  benedicti, 
"  Come,  ye  blessed  children  of  my  Father,  possess  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you  from  the  beginning  of  the  world:"  of 
the  which  God  make  us  all  partakers !     Amen. 


THE   SECOND1    SERMON  OF  MASTER  HUGH   LATIMER, 

WHICH    HE    PREACHED    BEFORE    THE    KING'S 

MAJESTY,  WITHIN  HIS  GRACE'S  PALACE 

AT  WESTMINSTER,  THE  FIFTEENTH 

DAY   OF  MARCH,   1549. 


TO   THE    READER2. 


Even  as  in  times  past  all  men  which  were  honestly 
bent  to  the  promoting  of  virtue  and  learning,  found  means 
that  the  works  of  worthy  orators,  of  famous  and  renowned 
philosophers,  should  be,  by  the  benefit  of  publishing,  re- 
deemed from  the  tyranny  of  oblivion  to  the  great  and  high 
profit  of  countries,  of  commonwealths,  of  empires,  and  of  as- 
semblies of  men  :  likewise  ought  we  to  fetch  our  precedent 
from  those  men,  and  suffer  no  worthy  monument  to  perish 
whereby  any  good  may  grow,  either  to  the  more  godly  ad- 
ministration of  political  and  civil  affairs,  or  else  to  the  better 
establishment  of  christian  judgment.  Numa  Pompilius  (who 
was  inaugured  and  created  king  of  the  Romans  next  after 
Romulus)  was  far  more  careful  and  busier  in  grounding  of 
idolatrous  religion  (as  upon  rites,  ceremonies,  sacrifices  and 
superstitions)  than  we  are  in  the  promoting  of  christian  re- 
ligion, to  the  advancement  of  the  glory  due  to  the  omnipotent 
Majesty  of  God  himself,  who  hath  revealed  and  uttered  his 
word  unto  us  by  his  prophets,  and  last  of  all  by  his  only- 
begotten  Son  Jesus  Christ;  whereby  he  hath  confirmed  our  con- 
sciences in  a  more  perfect  certainty  of  the  truth  than  ever 
they  were  before.  This  Numa  instituted  an  archbishop  for 
the  preserving  of  the  Commentaries  containing  the  solemni- 
ties of  their  religion,  with  many  other  appendices  united  to 
the  office  of  the  high  bishop.     What  do  we  ?     We  have  sup- 

['  The  first  Sermon  seems  to  have  been  a  distinct  publication  from 
this  and  the  five  Sermons  which  follow.] 
[2  From  the  edition  of  1549.] 


VIII.  J  TO    THE    READER.  105 

pressed.  We  have  wrestled  with  fire  and  sword,  not  only  to 
deface  the  writings  of  such  learned  men  as  have  painfully 
travailed  to  publish  God's  word,  but  also  we  have  stirred 
every  stone,  and  sought  all  devilish  devices  to  detain  the 
same  word  of  God  itself  from  his  people.  May  not  we,  and 
not  unworthily,  be  accounted  far  under  the  ethnicks,  who 
wrought  only  by  natural  motion  and  anticipations,  without 
breathing  and  inspiring  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  if  we  would  not, 
I  mean,  not  be  equal  to  them,  but  be  far  more  zealous  in  pro- 
moting good  learning  and  religion  than  ever  they  were? 
They,  when  they  had  such  noble  and  worthy  clerks  as  So- 
crates, Plato,  and  Aristotle,  in  all  diligence  caused  the  fruits 
of  these  most  rare  and  profound  wits  to  be  preserved  for 
their  posterity,  that  the  eyes  of  all  generations  might  enjoy 
the  fruition  and  use  of  them ;  thinking  that  such  wonderful 
virtues  should  not  be  buried  in  the  same  grave  that  their 
bodies  were.  After  so  manifold  and  dangerous  shipwrecks  of 
religion,  as  in  our  times  we  may  well  remember,  whereas  the 
ambitious  and  blind  prelates  (some  of  wily  wilfulness,  some 
of  gross  ignorance)  ruleth  the  stern,  and  have  evermore 
blemished  the  true  knowledge  of  God's  word,  and  did  their 
endeavour  to  obscure  the  same  with  their  politic  and  decent 
ceremonies,  and  trumpery  of  superstitions ;  how  oft  hath 
religion  been  tossed  on  the  stormy  surges  and  dangerous 
rocks  of  the  Romish  seas !  How  oft  hath  it  been  in  such  a 
desperate  state,  that  the  true  ministers  have  been  enforced,  as 
you  would  say,  to  weigh  anchor,  the  tackling  of  the  ship 
being  broken,  and,  destitute  of  all  other  help  and  succours,  to 
give  over  the  ruling  of  the  ship  to  God  himself;  who  is  only 
able  to  save,  when  all  the  world  by  man's  reason  judgeth  it 
past  cure !  Such,  0  Lord,  is  thy  mercy  and  ineffable  power! 
What  christian  heart,  that  favoureth  the  glory  of  God,  did 
not  even  lament  and  bewail  the  state  of  religion,  and  thought 
verily  the  utter  nun  of  Christ's  church  to  be  at  hand,  seeing 
the  late  martyrdom  of  those  that  suffered?  Yet  didst  thou, 
Lord,  stir  up  thousands  out  of  their  ashes ;  and  what  was 
done  of  a  popish  policy  to  suppress  and  keep  under  the  truth, 
that,  of  all  other,  did  most  set  forth  the  same.  Thou  hast 
delivered  Daniel  out  of  the  den  of  lions,  and  he  hath  set  forth 
thy  word  abroad.  But  now,  countrymen,  whom  God  hath 
blessed  by  delivering  you  from  the  tyranny  of  the  lions  and 


106  TO    THE    READER.  [sERM. 

her  whelps,  which  went  through  the  whole  realm  sucking  the 
innocent  blood,  how  unthankful  are  you  to  God,  so  greatly 
neglecting  so  special  a  benefit ;  falling  into  such  a  looseness  of 
lascivious  living,  as  the  like  hath  never  been  heard  of  hereto- 
fore !  Even  as  ye  are  grown  to  a  perfection  in  knowledge,  so 
are  ye  come  to  a  perfection  in  all  mischief.  The  heathen, 
which  had  no  other  guide  but  the  law  of  nature  graven  in 
the  tables  of  their  heart,  were  never  so  poisoned  with  the 
contagion  of  most  horrible  heresies,  as  some  of  us  Christians 
which  are  not  ashamed  to  brag  and  boast  of  the  Spirit.  But 
it  is  a  fanatic  spirit,  a  brain-sick  spirit,  a  seditious  and  a  ma- 
lignant spirit.  Christ  breathe  his  Spirit  upon  you,  that  ye 
may  read  the  scripture  with  all  humbleness  and  reverence,  to 
fetch  from  thence  comfort  for  your  wounded  consciences,  not 
to  make  that  lively  fountain  of  life  to  serve  for  the  feeding 
of  your  idle  brains,  to  dispute  more  subtilly  thereby ;  or 
else,  by  misunderstanding  of  the  same,  to  conceive  pernicious 
anabaptistical  opinions !  Remember  that  the  servant  which 
knoweth  his  master's  will,  and  doeth  it  not,  shall  be  beaten 
with  many  stripes.  God  is  a  good  God,  a  merciful  God,  a 
father,  which  beareth  much  with  our  crooked  nature  and 
unchristian  behaviour,  and  very  slow  to  revenge  this  blas- 
phemy, this  maintenance  of  so  many  imscriptural  opinions, 
these  babblings  and  schismatic  contentions,  wherein  a  great 
pack  of  us  delight,  and  repose  our  glory ;  although,  as  fondly 
as  erroneously,  to  the  great  slander  of  the  godly-learned,  and 
also  to  the  hinderance  of  the  good  success  and  free  passage 
of  the  word  of  God.  But  as  truly  as  God  is  God,  if  we 
repent  not  shortly,  his  plagues  and  vengeance  are  not  far  off ; 
his  indignation  and  wrath  shall  be  poured  from  heaven  upon 
cur  ungodliness.  He  is  long  coming,  but  when  he  comes  he 
will  pay  home ;  and,  as  Lactantius1  saith,  recompense  his  long- 
sufferance  with  more  grievous  punishments.  The  world  and 
the  devil  hath  so  bewitched  us,  that  we  in  our  deeds,  I  fear 
me,  too  many  of  us,  deny  God  to  be  God,  whatsoever  we 
pittle-pattle  with  our  tongues.  God's  word  must  not  be  talked 
of  only,  for  that  is  not  enough,  it  must  be  expressed.  Then 
must  we  as  well  live  the  word  as  talk  the  word ;  or  else,  if 
good  life  do  not  ensue  and  follow  upon  our  reasoning,  to  the 
example  of  others,  we  might  as  well  spend  that  time  in  read- 
t1  Divin.  Instii  v.  23.] 


VIII.]  TO    THE    READER.  107 

ing  of  profane  histories,  of  Cantorburye  tales,  or  a  fit  of  Robyn 
Hode.  Let  us  join  good  life  with  our  reading,  and  yet  all 
will  be  too  little.  Remember  that  the  world  and  all  that  is 
in  it  is  mere  vanity,  and  shall  have  an  end.  Thou,  I  say, 
that  thus  abuseth  the  gift  of  God's  holy  word,  and  the 
graciousness  of  the  king's  majesty,  which  hath  licensed  thee 
to  read  the  same  for  the  comfort  of  thine  own  soul,  for  the 
instruction  of  thy  family,  the  education  of  thy  children,  and 
edifying  of  thy  neighbour  ;  thou  that  art  so  gorgeously  ap- 
parelled, and  feedeth  thy  corruptible  carcase  so  daintily ;  thou 
that  purchasest  so  fast,  to  the  utter  undoing  of  the  poor,  con- 
sider whereof  thou  earnest,  and  whereunto  thou  shalt  return. 
"Where  is  then  all  thy  pomp  ?  Where  is  all  thy  ruff  of  thy 
gloriousness  become  ?  What  will  thou  say  for  thyself  in  that 
horrible  day  of  judgment,  where  thou  shalt  stand  naked  be- 
fore God,  where  the  tables  of  thine  own  conscience  shall  be 
opened,  and  laid  before  thine  eyes  to  accuse  thee  ?  Thou 
which  raisest  the  rents  so  greedily,  as  though  thou  shouldst 
never  have  enough.  Thy  judgment  is,  through  miserable 
mammon,  so  captivate  and  blind,  that  thou  canst  not  tell 
when  thou  hast  enough,  or  what  is  enough.  Tridy  a  little 
is  too  much  for  him  that  knoweth  not  how  to  use  much  well. 
Therefore  learn  first  the  use  of  money  and  riches,  and  some 
other  honester  means  to  attain  them,  that  this  thine  insatiable 
covetousness  and  unlawful  desiring  of  other  men's  goods  may 
be  reduced  to  some  reasonable  measure,  and  that  it  do  not 
exceed  the  limits  or  compass  of  honesty,  and  the  bonds  of 
brotherly  love ;  lest  God,  before  whom  thou  shalt  appear  one 
day  to  render  a  strait  account  for  the  deeds  done  in  the 
flesh,  burden  and  charge  thee  with  the  unmerciful  handling 
of  thy  tenant,  but  yet  notwithstanding  thy  brother,  whom 
with  new  incomes,  fines,  enhancing  of  rents,  and  such  like  un- 
reasonable exactions,  thou  pillest,  pollest,  and  miserably 
oppressest.  When  that  terrible  day  shall  once  come,  a  little 
of  God's  mercy  will  be  worth  a  mass  or  a  whole  heap  of  thy 
money.  There  thy  wicked  mammon,  whom  thou  servest  like 
a  slave,  can  purchase  thee  no  mercy.  There  thy  money,  so 
gleaned  and  gathered  of  thee  and  thine,  to  the  impoverishment 
of  many  to  make  thee  only  rich,  cannot  prevail  thee,  nor  yet 
redeem  thy  cause  before  that  just  and  severe  judge,  which 
then  and  there  will  render  to   thee  the  selfsame   measure 


108  TO    THE    READER.  [SEEM. 

which  thou  measurest  to  other  men.      What  did  we  speak  of 
prevailing,  or  redeeming  of  thy  cause  with  money  ?     Nay, 
then  thy  money  and  the  rest  of  thy  gold  shall  be  a  witness 
against  thee,  and  shall  eat  thy  flesh  as  the  fire.     How  frantic 
and  foolish  might  all  wise  men  well  judge  and  deem  him  to 
be,  which  against  the  day  of  his  arraignment,  when  he  should 
stand  upon  the  trial  of  death  and  life,  would  busy  himself,  his 
folks,  and  his  friends,   to  prepare  and  get  many  witnesses 
against  him,  to  cast  him  away  by  their  evidence  and  witness, 
and  to  provide  such  men  as  should  be  the  only  cause  of  his 
death !      Even  so  frantic,  so  foolish  art  thou,  which  both  toil, 
travail,  and  turmoil  so  earnestly  and  busily  about  the  getting 
of  goods  and  riches,  before  thou  hast  well  learned  and  taken 
forth  of  the  lesson  of  well  using  the  same.     Howbeit,  truly 
I  doubt  much  of  the  well  using  of  that  which  was  never  well 
nor   truly  gotten.      Learn,  therefore,  first  to   know  what  is 
Pro;,  xix.     enough  ;  for  the  wise  man  saith,  "  It  is  better  to  have  a  little 
with  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  than  great  and  unsatiable  riches." 
zephaniah.    Sophony  saith,  "  Their  gold  shall  not  be  able  to  deliver  them 
in  the  day  of  the   Lord's  wrath."      "Let  your  conversation 
be  without  covetousness,  and  be  content  with  what  ye  have 
already."      "  Godliness  is  great  riches,  if  a  man  be  content 
with  such  as  God  sends.     For  we  brought  nothing  into  this 
world,  neither  shall  we  carry  anything  out.     When  we  have 
food  and  raiment,  let  us  therewith  be  content."     Behold,  the 
schoolmaster   Paul  teaches  thee  here  a  good  lessou.     Here 
thou  mayest  learn  well  enough  to  know  what  is  enough.     But 
lest  thou  shouldest  fear  at  any  time  the  want  or  lack  of  this 
enough,  hear  farther  the  rest  of  the  lesson ;  for  God  verily 
saith,  "  The  Lord  is  mine  helper,  I  will  not  fear  what  man 
doeth  to   me."      If  the  revenues  and  yearly  rents    of  thy 
patrimony  and  lands  be  not  enough  nor   sufficient  for  thy 
finding,  and  will  not  suffice  thy  charges,  then  moderate  thy 
expenses ;  borrow  of  thy  two  next  neighbours,  that  is  to  say, 
of  thy  back  and  thy  belly.      Learn  to  eat  within  the  tether. 
Pull  down  thy  sail :  say,  "  Down,  proud  heart."     Maintain 
no  greater  port  than  thou  art  able  to  bear  out  and  support 
of  thine  own  provision.      Put  thy  hand  no  farther  than  thy 
sleeve  will  reach.      Cut  thy  cloth  after  thy  measure.      Keep 
thy  house  after  thy  spending.      Thou  must  not  pill  and  poll 
thy  tenant,  that  thou  mayest  have,  as  they  say,  Unde,  and 


Heb.  xiii. 


VIII.]  TO     THE     READER.  109 

that'  thy  never  enough,  to  ruffle  it  out  in  a  riotous  ruff,  and 
a  prodigal,   dissolute,  and  licentious  living.      We  read  in  the 
scriptures,  "  Give  to  every  man  his  duty ;  tribute  to  whom 
tribute  is  due ;  custom  to  whom  custom  is  due ;  fear  to  whom 
fear  belongeth ;   honour  to  whom  honour  pertaineth."      But 
we  find  not  there,  nor  elsewhere,  "  fines   to  whom  fines,  in- 
comes to   whom   incomes."      Paul  was   not   acquainted   with 
none  of  these  terms.      Belike  they  were  not  used  and  come 
up  in  his  time,  or  else  he  would  have  made  mention  of  them. 
Yet,  notwithstanding,  we  deny  not  but  these  reasonably  re- 
quired,  and   upon   honest   covenants  and  contracts,  are  the 
more  tolerable  ;  and  so  used,  so  may  be  permitted.      But  the 
covenants  and  contracts  we  remit  to  the  godly  wisdom  of  the 
high  magistrates,  who  we  pray  God  may  take  such  order  and 
direction  in  this,  and  all  other,  that  the  common  people  may 
be  relieved  and  eased  of  many  importable  charges  and  in- 
juries, which  many  of  them,  contrary  to  all  equity  and  right, 
sustain.      But  wo  worth  this  covetousness,  not  without  skill 
called  the  root  of  all   evil !      If  covetousness  were  not,   we 
think  many  things  amiss  would  shortly  be  redressed.     She  is 
a  mighty  matron,  a  lady  of  great  power.     She  hath  retained 
more  servants  than  any  lady  hath  in  England.      But  mark 
how  well,  in  fine,  she  hath  rewarded  her  servants,  and  learn 
to  be  wise  by  another  man's  harm.    Achan,  by  the  command-  Deut. 
ment  of  God,  was  stoned  to  death,  because  he  took  of  the 
excommunicate   goods.      Saul,   moved  by   covetousness,   dis- 
obeyed God's  word,  preserving  the  king  Agag,  and  a  parcel 
of  the  fattest  of  the  cattle,  and  lost  his  kingdom  therebv. 
Gehize  was  stricken  with  leprosy,  and  all  his  posterity,  be- 
cause he  took  money  and  raiment  of  Naaman.      The  rich  and 
unmerciful  glutton,  who  fared  well  and  daintily  every  day, 
was  buried  in  hell ;  and  there  he  taketh  now  such  fare  as  the 
devil  himself  doth.     Woe  be  to  you  that  join  house  to  house, 
and  field  to  field !      Shall  ye  alone  inhabit  the  earth  ?      Let 
these  terrible  examples  suffice  at  this  present  to  teach  and 
admonish  the  enhancer  of  rents ;  the  unreasonable  exactor, 
and    greedy   requirer   of  fines   and   incomes ;    the    covetous 
leasemonger ;    the    devourer   of  towns  and  countries,   as  M. 
Latimer  termeth  them  rightly.      If  these   scriptures,    which 
they  may  read  in  these  godly  sermons,  do  not  pierce  their 
[!  and  after  the  desire  of.    MS.  correction  1549.] 


110  TO    THE    READER.  [sERM. 

stony  hearts,  we  fear  more  will  not  serve.  The  Lord  be 
merciful  to  them!  But  now  the  wicked  judge,  which  cor- 
rupted justice  for  bribes,  here  he  may  learn  also  the  lesson 
that  Moses  taught  long  before  this  time,  "  Ye  magistrates  and 
judges  in  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  be  no  acceptors  of 
persons,  neither  be  desirous  of  gifts ;  for  they  make  wise  men 
blind,  and  change  the  mind  of  the  righteous."  "  In  judgment 
be  merciful  to  the  fatherless,  as  a  father,  and  be  instead  of 
an  husband  unto  their  mother."  "  The  ungodly  taketh  gifts 
out  of  the  bosom  to  wrest  the  ways  of  judgment."  "  Let 
him  that  rules  be  diligent,"  saith  Paul.  What  meaneth  he 
by  tins  term  'diligent'?  He  requires  no  such  diligence  as 
the  most  part  of  our  lucrative  lawyers  do  use,  in  deferring 
and  prolonging  of  matters  and  actions  from  term  to  term, 
and  in  the  trading  of  time  in  the  same ;  where,  perchance, 
the  title  or  right  of  the  matter  might  have  come  to  light,  and 
been  tried  long  before,  if  the  lawyers  and  judges  would  have 
used  such  diligence  as  Paul  would  have  them  to  do.  But 
what  care  the  lawyers  for  Paul  ?  Paul  was  but  a  madman  of 
law  to  .controul  them  for  their  diligence.  Paul,  yea,  and 
Peter  too,  had  more  skill  in  mending  an  old  net,  and  in 
clouting  an  old  tent,  than  to  teach  lawyers  what  diligence 
they  should  use  in  the  expedition  of  matters.  Why,  but 
be  not  lawyers  diligent?  say  ye.  Yea,  truly  are  they ;  about 
their  own  profit  there  are  no  more  diligent  men,  nor  busier 
persons  in  all  England.  They  trudge,  in  the  term  time,  to 
and  fro.  They  apply  the  world  hard.  They  foreslow1 
no  time.  They  follow  assizes  and  sessions,  leets,  law-days, 
and  hundreds.  They  should  serve  the  king,  but  they  serve 
themselves.  And  how  they  use,  nay  rather  abuse  their  office 
in  the  same,  some  good  man  will  tell  them  thereof.  We  lack 
a  few  more  Latimers ;  a  few  more  such  preachers.  Such  plain 
Pasquyls  we  pray  God  provide  for  us,  as  will  keep  nothing 
back.  Of  the  which  sort  and  number  we  may  most  worthily 
reckon  this  faithful  minister  of  God,  and  constant  preacher  of 
his  word,  Master  Hugh  Latimer ;  which,  by  his  perseverance 
and  stedfastness  in  the  •truth,  hath  stablished  this  wavering 
world.  He  hath  been  tost  for  the  truth's  sake,  and  tried  in 
the  storm  of  persecution,  as  gold  in  the  furnace.  He  is  one 
whom,  as  well  for  his  learned,  soimd,  and  catholic  judgment 
[l  loiter.] 


VIII.]  TO     THE    READER.  11  1 

in  the  knowledge  of  God's  word,  as  for  his  integrity  and 
example  of  Christian  conversation,  all  Ave,  and  especially 
ministers  and  prelates,  ought  to  set  before  our  eyes,  as  a 
principal  patron  to  imitate  and  follow ;  desiring  God,  who 
hath  stirred  up  in  him  the  bold  spirit  of  Helias,  may  daily 
more  and  more  augment  the  same  in  him,  and  may  also  pro- 
vide many  such  preaching  prelates ;  which  both  so  well  could, 
and  so  willingly  would,  frankly  utter  the  truth,  to  the  extol- 
ling of  virtue,  to  the  reward  of  well-doers,  the  suppressing  of 
vice,  the  abolishment  of  all  papistry.  It  is  our  part,  there- 
fore, to  pray  diligently  for  his  continual  health,  and  that  he 
may  live  long  among  us  in  a  floinishing  old  age ;  and  not, 
as  some  ingrate  and  inhuman  persons,  to  malign  and  deprave 
him,  for  that  he  so  frankly  and  liberally  taxed,  perstringed,  and 
openly  rebuked  before  the  king's  majesty  the  peculiar  faults 
of  certain  of  his  auditors  :  but  it  is  our  part  rather  thankfully 
to  accept  in  good  part,  take  his  godly  advertisement;  unless 
we  be  minded  to  prefer  our  mucky  money,  and  false  felicity, 
before  the  joys  of  heaven ;  or  else  believe,  as  the  Epicures 
do,  that  after  this  life  there  is  neither  hell  nor  heaven.  Re- 
ceive thankfully,  gentle  reader,  these  sermons,  faithfully 
collected  without  any  sinister  suspicion  of  any  thing  in  the 
same  being  added  or  adempt. 


The  xxi  day  of  June. 


h 


ROMANS  XV.  [4.] 

Qucecunque  scripta  sunt,   ad  nostrum  doctrinam,  6$c. 

All  things  that  are  written  in  God's  hook,  in  the  holy  bible,  they  were 
written  before  our  time,  but  yet  to  continue  from  age  to  age,  as  long  as 
the  world  doth  stand. 

In  this  book  is  contained  doctrine  for  all  estates,  even  for 
kings.  A  king  herein  may  learn  how  to  guide  himself. 
I  told  you  in  my  last  sermon  much  of  the  duty  of  a  king, 
and  there  is  one  place  behind  yet,  and  it  followeth  in  the 
Deut.  xvii.  text :  Postquam  autem  sederit  in  solio  regni  sui,  &c. ; 
"  And  when  the  king  is  set  in  the  seat  of  his  kingdom,  he 
shall  write  him  out  a  book,  and  take  a  copy  of  the  priests 
or  Levites."  He  shall  have  a  book  with  him,  and  why  ? 
"  To  read  in  it  all  the  days  of  his  life,  to  learn  to  fear  God, 
and  learn  his  laws,"  and  other  things,  as  it  followeth  in  the 
text  with  the  appurtenances,  and  hangings  on,  "  that  he  turn 
not  from  God,  neither  to  the  right  hand,  nor  to  the  left." 
And  wherefore  shall  he  do  this  ?  "  That  he  may  live  long, 
he  and  his  children." 

Hitherto  goeth  the  text.  That  I  may  declare  this  the 
better,  to  the  edifying  of  your  souls  and  the  glory  of  God,  I 
shall  desire  you  to  pray,  &c. 

Et  postquam,  &c,  "  And  when  the  king  is  set  in  the 
seat  of  his  kingdom,   &c." 

Before  I  enter  into  this  place,  right  honourable  audience, 

to  furnish  it  accordingly,  which  by  the  grace  of  God  I  shall 

do  at  leisure,  I  would  repeat  the  place  I  was  in  last,  and 

furnish  it  with  an  history  or  two,   which  I  left  out  in  my 

Th  stiff       ^as*  sermon-      I  was  m  a  matter  concerning  the  sturdiness  of 

!,'nTik,m'r'Tews  the  Jews,  a  froward  and  stiff-necked  kind  of  people,  much 

'o,T,I',are<ien    like  our  Englishmen  now-a-days,  that  in  the  minority  of  a 

together.       \&&g  take  upon   them   to  break  laws,   and  to  go  by-ways. 

For  when  God  had  promised  them  a  king,  when  it  came  to 

the  point  they  refused  him.      These  men  walked  by-walks ; 

An  English    and  the  saying  is,  "Many  by-walkers1,  many  balks:"  many 

wisfrai°iedan  balks,  much  stumbling ;  and  where  much  stumbling  is,  there 

is  sometimes  a  fall :  howbeit  there  were  some  good  walkers 

t1   by-walks,  1549,  1562.] 


VIII.]     SECOND    SERMON     BEFORE    KING    EDWARD    THE    S1JCTH.  113 

among  them,  that  walked  in  the  king's  highway  ordinarily, 
uprightly,  plain  Dunstable  way2 ;  and  for  this  purpose  I 
would  shew  you  an  history  which  is  written  in  the  third  of 
the  Kings. 

King  David  being  in  his  childhood,  an  old  man  in  hisiKmgsi. 
second  childhood,  (for  all  old  men  are  twice  children,  as  the 
proverb  is,  Senex  bis  puer,  "  an  old  man  twice  a  child,)"  it 
happened  with  him,  as  it  doth  oftentimes,  when  wicked  men 
of  a  king's  childhood  take  occasion  of  evil. 

This  king  David  being  weak  of  nature,  and  impotent, 
insomuch  that  when  he  was  covered  with  clothes,  he  could 
take  no  heat,  was  counselled  of  his  servants  to  take  a  fair 
young  maid  to  nourish  him,  and  to  keep  liim  warm  in  his 
body :  I  suppose  she  Avas  his  wife.  Howbeit  he  had  no 
bodily  company  with  her,  and  well  she  might  be  his  wife. 
For  though  the  scripture  doth  say,  Non  cognovit  earn,  "  He 
knew  her  not,"  he  had  no  carnal  copulation  with  her,  yet  it 
saith  not,  Non  duxit  earn  uxor  mi,  "  He  married  her  not." 
And  I  cannot  think  that  king  David  would  have  her  to 
warm  his  bosom  in  bed,  except  she  had  been  his  wife ;  having 
a  dispensation  of  God  to  have  as  many  wives  as  he  would : 
for  God  had  dispensed  with  them  to  have  many  wives. 
Well,  what  happened  to  king  David  in  his  childhood  by 
the  child  of  the  devil  ?  Ye  shall  hear :  king  David  had  a 
proud  son,  whose  name  was  Adonias,  a  man  full  of  ambition,  Adonias. 
desirous  of  honour,  always  climbing,  climbing.  Now  whilst  &<;• 
the  time  was  of  his  father's  childhood,  he  would  depose  his 
father,  not  knowing  of  his  father's  mind,  saying,  Ego 
regnabo,  "  I  will  reign,  I  will  be  king."  He  was  a  stout- 
stomached  child,  a  by-walker,  of  an  ambitious  mind :  he 
would  not  consent  to  his  father's  friends,  but  got  him  a 
chariot,  and  men  to  run  before  it,  and  divers  other  adherents 
to  help  him  forward;  worldly-wise  men,  such  as  had  been 
before  of  his  father's  counsel;  great  men  in  the  world,  and 
some,  no  doubt  of  it,  came  of  good-will,  thinking  no  harm; 
for  they  would  not  think  that  he  did  it  without  his  father's 
will,  having  such  great  men  to  set  him  forth ;  for  every  man 

[2  "As  plain  as  Dunstable  way"  is  given  by  Fuller  among  the 
proverbs  of  Bedfordshire,  as  descriptive  of  anything  "plain  and  simple, 
without  either  welt  or  guard  to  adorn  them."  Worthies  of  Engl.  Vol.  i. 
p.  166,  8vo.  edit.] 

r  ,  8 

[LATIMER.] 


114  SECOND    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

cannot  have  access  at  all  times  to  the  king,  to  know  his 
pleasure.  Well,  algates1  he  would  be  king.  He  makes  a 
joab  captain  great  feast,  and  thereto  he  called  Joab,  the  ring-leader  of 
ELy.  his  father's  army ;  a  worldly-wise  man ;  a  by-walker,  that 
would  not  walk  the  king's  high-way ;  and  one  Abiathar,  the 
high  priest ;  for  it  is  marvel  if  any  mischief  be  in  hand,  if 
a  priest  be  not  at  some  end  of  it.  They2  took  him  as  king, 
and  cried,  Vivat  rex  Adonias;  "  God  save  king  Adonias." 
David  suffered  all  this,  and  let  him  alone ;  for  he  was  in  his 
childhood,  a  bedrid  man. 

But  see  how  God  ordered  the  matter.  Nathan  the  pro- 
phet, and  Sadoc  a  priest,  and  Banaiah,  and  the  Chrethites 
and  Phelethites,  the  king's  guard,  they  were  not  called  to  the 
feast.  These  were  good  men,  and  would  not  walk  by-ways : 
therefore  it  was  folly  to  break  the  matter  to  them ;  they 
were  not  called  to  counsel.  Therefore  Nathan,  when  he 
heard  of  this,  he  cometh  to  Bethsabe,  Salomon's  mother, 
and  saith,  "  Hear  ye  not  how  Adonias  the  son  of  Ageth 
reigneth  king,  David  not  knowing  ?"  And  he  bade  her  put 
Bethsabe      the  king  in  mind  of  his  oath  that  he  sware,  that  her  son 

sueth  to  O 

saaiomonr  Salomon  should  be  king  after  him.  This  was  wise  counsel, 
according  to  the  proverb,  Qui  vadit  plane,  vadit  sane : 
"  He  that  walketh  in  the  high  plain  way,  walketh  safely." 

Upon  this  she  went  and  brake  the  matter  to  David,  and 
desired  him  to  shew  who  should  reign  after  him  in  Hieru- 
salem ;  adding  that  if  Adonias  were  king,  she  and  her  son, 
after  his  death,  should  be  destroyed ;  saying,  Nos  erimus 
peccatores,  "  We  shall  be  sinners,  we  shall  be  taken  for 
traitors :  for  though  we  meant  no  harm,  but  walked  upright- 
ly, yet  because  we  went  not  the  by-way  with  him,  he  being 
in  authority  will  destroy  us."  And  by  and  by  cometh  in 
Nathan,  and  taketh  her  tale  by  the  end,  and  sheweth  him 
how  Adonias  was  saluted  king ;  and  that  he  had  bid  to 
dinner  the  king's  servants,  all  saving  him,  and  Sadoc,  and 
Banaiah,  and  all  his  brethren  the  king's  sons,  save  Salomon. 

King  David  remembering  himself,  swore,  "As  sure  as  God 
liveth,  Salomon  my  son  shall  reign  after  me ;"  and  by  and 
by  commanded  Nathan  and  Sadoc,  and  his  guard,  the  Che- 
rites  and  Phelethites,  to  take  Salomon  his  son,  and  set  him 

[i  by  all  means.]  [2  And  took,  1584.] 


VIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  J  1  5 

upon  his  mule,  and  anoint  him  king.  And  so  they  did, 
crying,  Vivat  Salomon  Rex.  Thus  was  Salomon  throned, 
by  the  advice  and  will  of  his  father  :  and  though  he  were  a 
child,  yet  was  his  will  to  be  obeyed  and  fulfilled,  and  they 
ought  to  have  known  his  pleasure. 

Whilst  this  was  a  doing,  there  was  such  a  joy  and  out- The  joy  of 
cry  of  the  people  for  their  new  king,  and  blowing  of  trum-  for  S  new 
pets,  that  Joab  and  the  other  company  being  in  their  jollity. 
and  keeping  good  cheer,  heard  it,  and  suddenly  asked,  "What 
is  this  ado  ?"  And  when  they  perceived,  that  Salomon,  by 
the  advice  of  his  father,  was  anointed  king,  by  and  by  there 
was  all  whisht :  all  their  good  cheer  was  done ;  and  all  that 
were  with  Adonias  went  away,  and  let  him  reign  alone, 
if  he  would.  And  why  ?  He  walked  a  by-way,  and  God 
would  not  prosper  it. 

God  will  not  work  with  private  authority,  nor  with  any  God  is 
thing   done  inordinately.      When  Adonias  saw  this,  that  he  private 

™  *J  authority 

was  left  alone,  he  took  sanctuary,  and  held  by  the  horns  of  ^'J^-jf; 
the  altar ;   and  sware  that  he  would  not  depart  thence  till 
Salomon  would  swear  that  he  should  not  lose  his  life. 

Here  is  to  be  noted  the  notable  sentence  and  great 
mercy  of  king  Salomon.  "Let  him,"  saith  he,  "order  him- Salomon  is 
self  like  a  quiet  man,  and  there  shall  not  one  hah'  fall  from 
his  head :  Sed  si  inventum  fuerit  malum  in  eo,  But  if 
there  shall  be  any  evil  found  in  him,  if  he  hath  gone 
about  any  mischief,  he  shall  die  for  it."  Upon  this  he  was 
brought  unto  Salomon ;  and  as  the  book  saith,  he  did  ho- 
mage unto  him.  And  Salomon  said  to  him :  Vade  in 
domum  tuam,  "  Get  thee  into  thy  house  :"  belike  he  meant 
to  ward,  and  there  to  see  his  wearing :  as  if  he  should 
say,  "  Shew  thyself  without  gall  of  ambition,  to  be  a  quiet 
subject,  and  I  will  pardon  thee  for  this  time:  but  I  will  Time  trieth 
see  the  wearing  of  thee."  Here  we  may  see  the  wonderful  the  trusty- 
great  mercy  of  Salomon :  for  this  notorious  treason  that 
Adonias  had  committed,  it  was  a  plain  matter,  for  he  suf- 
fered himself  to  be  called  king ;  it  hung  not  of  vehement 
suspicion  or  conjecture,  nor  sequel,  or  consequent ;  yet  not- 
withstanding Salomon  for  that  present  forgave  him,  saying, 
"  I  will  not  forget  it  utterly,  but  I  will  keep  it  in  suspense, 
I  will  take  no  advantage  of  thee  at  this  time."  This  Adonias 
and  Absolon  were  brethren,  and   came  both   of  a  strange 

8—2 


116 


SECOND     SERMON     PREACHED     BEFORE 


Note  of  what 
force  educa- 
tion is. 


Adonias 

shrinks  in 
the  meeting, 
and  proveth 
naught  on 
the  wearing. 


When  pro- 
mises may 
not  be  per- 
formed. 


Adonias  put 
to  death. 
1  Kings  ii. 


Abiathar 

deposed  and 

made  a  quon 

dam. 

1  Kings  ii. 


mother;  and  Absolon  likewise  was  a  traitor,  and  made  an 
insurrection  against  his  father.  Beware  therefore  these  mo- 
thers ;  and  let  kings  take  heed  how  they  marry,  in  what 
houses,  in  what  faith.  For  strange  bringing  up  bringeth 
strange  manners. 

Now  giveth  David  an  exhortation  to  Salomon,  and  teach- 
eth  hiin  the  duty  of  a  king ;  and  giveth  Mm  a  lesson,  as  it 
followeth  at  large  in  the  book,  and  he  that  list  to  read  it, 
may  see  it  there  at  full.  But  what  doth  Adonias  all  this 
while  ?  He  must  yet  climb  again :  the  gall  of  ambition  was 
not  out  of  his  heart :  he  will  now  marry  Abisaac,  the  young- 
queen  that  warmed  king  David's  bosom,  as  I  told  you ;  and 
cometh  me  to  Bethsabe,  desiring  her  to  be  a  mean  to  Salo- 
mon her  son  that  he  might  obtain  his  purpose ;  and  bringeth 
me  out  a  couple  of  lies  at  a  clap ;  and  committeth  me  two 
unlawful  acts.  For  first  he  would  have  been  king  without 
Ins  father's  consent,  and  now  he  will  marry  his  father's  wife. 
And  the  two  lies  are  these :  first,  said  he  to  Bethsabe, 
"  Thou  knowest  that  the  kingdom  belongeth  unto  me,  for 
I  am  the  elder ;  the  kingdom  was  mine."  He  lied  falsely ; 
it  was  none  of  his.  Then  said  he,  "  All  the  eyes  of  Israel 
were  cast  upon  me :"  that  is  to  say,  all  Israel  consented  to 
it.  And  there  he  lied  falsely ;  for  Nathan,  Sadoc,  and  other 
wise  men,  never  agreed  to  it.  Here  was  a  great  enterprise 
of  Adonias ;  he  will  be  climbing  still.  Well ;  Bethsabe 
went  at  his  request  to  her  son  Salomon,  and  asked  a  boon, 
and  he  granted  her  whatsoever  she  did  ask.  Notwith- 
standing he  brake  his  promise  afterward,  and  that  right 
well ;  for  all  promises  are  not  to  be  kept,  specially  if  they 
be  against  the  word  of  God,  or  not  standing  with  a  common 
profit.  And  therefore  as  soon  as  Salomon  heard  that  Ado- 
nias would  have  married  the  young  queen  Abishaac :  "  Nay, 
then  let  him  be  king  too,"  said  he  :  "  I  perceive  now  that 
he  is  a  naughty  man,  a  proud-hearted  fellow  ;  the  gall  of 
ambition  is  not  yet  out  of  his  heart :"  and  so  commanded 
him  to  be  put  to  death.  Thus  was  Adonias  put  to  execution, 
whereas  if  he  had  kept  his  house,  and  not  broken  his  injunc- 
tion, he  might  have  lived  still.  Abiathar,  what  became  of 
him?  The  king,  because  he  had  served  his  father  before 
him,  would  not  put  him  to  death,  but  made  him  as  it  were 
a  quondam.     "  Because  thou  hast  been  with  my  father,"  said 


VIII.]  KING     EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  117 

he,  "  and  didst  carry  the  ark  before  him,  I  will  not  kill  thee. 
But  I  will  promise  thee,  thou  shalt  never  minister  any  more ; 
vade  in  agrum  tuum,  get  thee  to  thy  land,  and  live  there." 
A  great  matter  of  pity  and  compassion !  So  God  grant  us 
all  such  mercy ! 

And  here  was  the  end  of  Elie's  stock,  according  to  the 
promise  and  threatening  of  God.  As  for  the  Phelethites, 
we  do  not  read  that  they  were  punished.  Marry,  Shimei 
transgressed  his  injunction ;  for  he  kept  not  his  house,  but 
went  out  of  Jerusalem  to  seek  two  servants  of  his,  that  had 
run  from  him ;  and  when  it  came  to  Salomon's  ear,  it  cost 
him  his  life. 

I  have  ript  the  matter  now  to  the  pill,  and  have  told 
you  of  plain- walkers,  and  of  by- walkers ;  and  how  a  king- 
in  his  childhood  is  a  king,  as  well  as  in  any  other  age. 
We  read  in  scripture  of  such  as  were  but  twelve  or  eight  Joas  was 

x  °        but  seven 

years  old,  and  yet  the  word  of  the  Holy  Ghost  called  them  years  oid^ 
kings,  saying :   Coepit  regnare,  "  He  began  to  reign,"  or  he  J^^ 
began  to  be  king.      Here  is  of  by-walkers.      This   history  3e"^ was 
would  be  remembered  :  the  proverb  is,  Felix  quern  faciunt 2  Kmgs  XX11' 
aliena  pericula  cautum;   "Happy  is  he  that   can  beware 
by  another  man's  jeopardy."     For  if  we  offend  not  as  other 
do,   it  is  not  our  own  deserts.      If  we  fall  not,  it  is  God's 
preservation.     We  are  all  offenders :  for  either  we  may  do, 
or  have  done,  or  shall  do,  (except  God  preserve  us,)  as  evil 
as  the  worst  of  them.     I  pray  God  we  may  all  amend  and 
repent !  But  we  will  all  amend  now,  I  trust.    We  must  needs 
amend  our  lives  every  man.    The  holy  communion  is  at  hand, 
and  we  may  not  receive  it  unworthily. 

Well,  to  return  to  my  history.  King  David,  I  say,  was  Kingsthough 
a  king  in  his  second  childhood.  And  so  young  kings,  though  <*e| yetthey 
they  be  children,  yet  are  they  kings  notwithstanding.  And 
though  it  be  written  in  scripture,  Vce  tibi,  O  terra,  ubi  puer 
est  rex,  "  Wo  to  thee,  0  land,  where  the  king  is  a  child ;" 
it  followeth  in  another  place,  Beata  terra  ubi  rex  nobilis, 
"  Blessed  is  the  land  where  there  is  a  noble  king ;"  where 
kings  be  no  banqueters,  no  players ;  and  where  they  spend 
not  them  time  in  hawking  and  hunting.     And  when  had  the  The  kings 

0  •       i        i         •    i  i  h°nourable 

king's  majesty  a  council,  that  took  more  pain  both  night  and  council  wor- 
day  for  the  setting  forth  of  God's  word,  and  profit  of  the  mended. 


118  SECOND    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

commonwealth  ?    And  yet  there  be  some  wicked  people1  that 
on  will  say,   "  Tush,  this  gear  will  not  tarry  :  it  is  but  my  lord 


po,!"fi  ho,./  Protector's  and  my  lord  of  Canterbury's  doing  :  the  king  is 
a  child,  and  he  knoweth  not  of  it."  Jesu  mercy  !  How 
Englishmen  like  are  we  Englishmen  to  the  Jews,  ever  stubborn,  stiff- 
KejUs.11  necked,  and  walking  in  by-ways !  Yea,  I  think  no  Jew 
would  at  any  time  say,  "This  gear  will  not  tarry."  I  never 
heard  nor  read  at  any  time  that  they  said,  "These  laws  were 
made  in  such  a  king's  days,  when  he  was  but  a  child;  let 
us  alter  them."  0  Lord,  what  pity  is  this,  that  we  should  be 
worse  than  the  Jews! 

"  Blessed  be  the  land,"  saith  the  word  of  God,  "  where 
the  king  is  noble."  What  people  are  they  that  say,  "  The 
king  is  but  a  child?"  Have  we  not  a  noble  king?  Was 
there  ever  king  so  noble;  so  godly;  brought  up  with  so  noble 
counsellors ;  so  excellent  and  well  learned  schoolmasters  ?  I 
a  true  and  will  tell  you  this,  and  I  speak  it  even  as  I  think:  his 
ofM.iati'im-r  Majesty  hath  more  godly  wit  and  understanding,  more  learn- 

bv  the  kings   .       J        J  ,ii.  i  n  !* 

majesty.  ing  and  knowledge  at  this  age,  than  twenty  ot  his  progenitors, 
that  I  could  name,  had  at  any  time  of  their  life. 

I  told  you  in  my  last  sermon  of  ministers,  of  the  king's 
people ;  and  had  occasion  to  shew  you  how  few  noblemen 
were  good  preachers ;  and  I  left  out  an  history  then,  which 
I  will  now  tell  you. 
The  history  There  was  a  bishop  of  Winchester2  in  king  Henry  the 

wfnehes'ter0  Sixth's  days,  which  king  was  but  a  child ;  and  yet  there 
were  many  good  acts  made  in  his  childhood,  and  I  do  not 
read  that  they  were  broken.  This  bishop  was  a  great  man 
born,  and  did  bear  such  a  stroke,  that  he  was  able  to 
shoulder  the  lord  Protector.  AY  ell,  it  chanced  that  the  lord 
Protector  and  he  fell  out ;  and  the  bishop  would  bear  nothing 
at  all  with  him,  but  played  me  the  satrapa3,  so  that  the 

[x  The  preacher  alluded  to  Drs  Bonner  and  Gardiner,  and  the 
popish  party  generally,  who,  to  excuse  their  opposition  to  the  Re- 
formation, during  Edward  VI's  reign,  invented  the  theory  that  laws 
made  during  the  minority  of  a  king  were  invalid.  The  Devonshire 
rebels  and  the  princess  Mary  readily  embraced  the  same  convenient 
doctrine.     Strype,  Mem.  of  Cranmer,  p.  272,  Oxf.  Edit,] 

[2  Reference  is  had  to  the  contentions  between  cardinal  Beaufort 
and  Humphrey  the  "good  duke"  of  Gloucester.  Carte,  Hist,  of  Eng- 
land, ii.  698.] 

[3  An  eastern  term  for  the  governor  of  a  province.] 


VIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  119 

regent  of  France  was  fain  to  be  sent  for  from  beyond  the 
seas,  to  set  them  at  one,  and  go  between  them :  for  the 
bishop  was  as  able  and  ready  to  buckle  with  the  lord  Pro- 
tector, as  he  was  with  hini. 

Was  not  this  a  good  prelate?     He   should  have  been 
at  home  preaching  in  his  diocese  with  a  wanniaunt4. 

This  Protector  was  so  noble  and  godly  a  man,  that  he 
was   called  of  every  man  the  good  duke  Humphrey.      He  The  good 
kept  such  a  house  as   never   was  kept  since  in  England ;  Humphrey, 
without  any  enhancing  of  rents,  I  warrant  you,  or  any  such 
matter.     And  the  bishop  for  standing  so  stiffly  by  the  matter, 
and  bearing  up  the  order  of  our  mother  the  holy  church, 
was  made  a  cardinal  at  Calais;  and  thither  the  bishop  of 
Rome    sent    him    a    cardinal's    hat.     He   should  have   had 
a  Tyburn  tippet,    a  half-penny  halter,    and  all  sUch  proud  a  Tyburn 
prelates.     These  Romish  hats  never  brought  good  into  Eng-  become  him 
land. 

Upon  this  the  bishop  goeth  me  to  the  queen  Margaret5, 
the  king's  wife,  a  proud  woman,  and  a  stout ;  and  persuaded 
her,  that  if  the  duke  were  in  such  authority  still,  and 
lived,  the  people  would  honour  him  more  than  they  did 
the  king ;  and  the  king  should  not  be  set  by  :  and  so  be- 
tween them,  I  cannot  tell  how  it  came  to  pass,  but  at  St 
Edmunds-bury,  in  a  parliament,  the  good  duke  Humphrey  Duke 
was  smothered6.  smothered. 

But  now  to  return  to  my  text,   and   to   make  further 
rehearsal  of  the  same,  the  matter  beginneth  thus :  Et  post- 
quam    sederit   rex,    "And    when   the    king    is    set  in  the  The  office  of 
seat    of   his    kingdom — "     What   shall  he   do  ?     Shall  he  chosen. 
dance  and  dally;  banquet,  hawk,  and  hunt?    No,  forsooth, 
sir.     For  as  God  set  an  order  in  the  king's  stable,  as  I 

[*  In  a  waniant,  1549,  1562 ;  with  a  waniant,  1572 ;  with  a  wannion, 
1607.  This  last  spelling  of  the  word  is  most  frequent  in  old  writers: 
but  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  in  any  of  its  forms  is  not  quite  appa- 
rent :  as  it  is  usually  accompanied  by  a  threat,  it  may  be  equivalent  to, 
"  with  a  vengeance."] 

[5  All  the  old  editions  read  "queen  Katherine."] 
[6  This  was  the  general  opinion  at  that  time;  and  the  death  of 
duke  Humphrey  happened  so  opportunely  for  his  enemies,  that 
they  were  regarded  as  his  murderers:  yet  there  are  good  reasons 
for  believing  that  he  died  from  natural  causes.  Carte,  Hist,  of 
England,  n.  726,  &c] 


120 


■SECOND    SEKMOX    PREACHED    BEFORE 


[SERM. 


f-  latterinc; 
claw-backs. 
A  king's 
jKistime. 


The  king 
must  write 
the  book  of 
Deuterono- 
my himself, 
!)eut.  xvii. 


God's  book 
hath  been 
preserved 
hitherto  by 
a  wonderful 
miracle. 


told  you  in  my  last  sermon,  so  will  he  appoint  what  pastime 
a  king  shall  have.  What  must  he  do  then?  He  must  be 
a  student,  he  must  write  God's  book  himself ;  not  thinking, 
because  he  is  a  king,  he  hath  licence  to  do  what  he  will,  as 
these  worldly  flatterers  are  wont  to  say  :  "  Yea,  trouble  not 
yourself,  sir,  ye  may  hawk  and  hunt,  and  take  your  pleasure. 
As  for  the  guiding  of  your  kingdom  and  people,  let  us 
alone  with  it." 

These  flattering  claw-backs  are  original  roots  of  all  mis- 
chief; and  yet  a  king  may  take  his  pastime  in  hawking 
or  hunting,  or  such  like  pleasures.  But  he  must  use  them 
for  recreation,  when  he  is  weary  of  weighty  affairs,  that 
he  may  return  to  them  the  more  lusty :  and  this  is  called 
pastime  with  good  company.  "  He  must  write  out  a  book 
himself."  He  speaketh  of  writing,  because  printing  was 
not  used  at  that  time.  And  shall  the  king  write  it  out 
himself?  He  meaneth,  he  shall  see  it  written,  and  rather 
than  he  should  be  without  it,  write  it  himself.  Jesus 
mercy !  is  God  so  chary  with  a  king,  to  have  him  well 
brought  up  and  instructed  ?  Yea,  forsooth :  for  if  the 
king  be  well  ordered,  the  realm  is  well  ordered. 

Where  shall  he  have1  a  copy  of  this  book  ?  Of  the 
Levites.  And  why  ?  Because  it  shall  be  a  true  copy,  not 
falsified.  Moses  left  the  book  in  an  old  chest,  and  the 
Levites  had  it  in  keeping.  And  because  there  should  be 
no  error,  no  addition,  nor  taking  away  from  it,  he  biddeth 
him  fetch  the  copy  of  the  Levites. 

And  was  not  here  a  great  miracle  of  God,  how  this  book 
was  preserved  ?  It  had  lain  hid  many  years,  and  the  Jews 
knew  not  of  it.  Therefore  at  length,  when  they  had  found 
it,  and  knew  it,  they  lamented  for  their  ignorance  that 
had  so  long  been  without  it,  and  rent  their  clothes,  re- 
penting their  unfaithfulness.  And  the  holy  bible,  God's 
book,  that  we  have  among  us,  it  hath  been  preserved 
hitherto  by  wonderful  miracle  of  God,  though  the  keepers 
of  it  were  never  so  malicious.  First,  ever  since  the  bishop 
of  Rome  was  first  in  authority,  they  have  gone  about  to 
destroy  it ;  but  God  worketh  wonderfully ;  he  hath  pre- 
served it,  maugre  their  beards2;  and  yet  are  we  unthankful 


fi  We  have,  1571,  1584,  1607.]      p  Their  hearts,  1571,  1584,  1607.] 


VIII.  J  KING     EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  121 

that  we  cannot  consider  it.  I  will  tell  you  what  a  bishop 
of  this  realm  said  once  to  me :  he  sent  for  me,  and  mar- 
velled that  I  would  not  consent  to  such  traditions  as  were 
then  set  out.  And  I  answered  him,  that  I  would  he  ruled 
by  God's  book,  and  rather  than  I  would  dissent  one  jot 
from  it,  I  would  be  torn  with  wild  horses.  And  I  chanced 
in  our  communication  to  name  the  Lord's  Supper.  "  Tush," 
saith  the  bishop,  "  what  do  ye  call  the  Lord's  Supper  ? 
What  new  term  is  that  ?"  There  stood  by  him  a  dubber, 
one  Doctor  Dubber :  he  dubbed  him  by  and  by,  and  said  Mark  a 

J  <J  learned 

that   this   term   was   seldom   read  in   the   doctors.      And   I  Prelate- 
made   answer,    that   I   would  rather   follow   Paul  in  using  ^^"f  ht 
his  terms,  than  them,   though  they  had  all  the  doctors  on  Snowed. 
their   side.      "  Why,"   said   the  bishop,    "  cannot  we,   with-  a  bishop 
out   scriptures,    order   the   people  ?      How    did   they  before  whether  the 
the    scripture    was    first    written    and    copied    out?'"      But  "°t  be  ordeV- 

x  ed  without 

God  knoweth,  full  ill,   yet  would  they  have  ordered  them ;  thescrirture- 
for  seeing  that  having  it,  they  have  deceived  us,  in  what 
case  should  we  have  been  now  without   it  ?     But  thanks 
be  to  God,  that  by  so  wonderful  a  miracle  he  hath  preserved 
the  book  still. 

It  followeth  in  the  text :   Habebit   secum,   "  He  shall  The  Bible 
have  it  with  him  : "  in  his  progress,  he  must  have  a  man  forgotten  in 
to  carry  it,    that  when  he  is  hawking;  and  hunting,    or  in  progress  and 

•  i  t  •-,,„.      Pastime. 

any   pastime,    he   may   always   commune   with   them   of  it. 

He  shall  read  in  it,    not  once  a  year,  for  a  time,    or  for 

his  recreation  when  he  is  weary  of  hawking  and  hunting, 

but  cunctis   diebus   vitce  suce,    "  all   the   days   of  his  life." 

Where  are  those  worldlings  now  ?     these  bladder-puifed-up 

wily  men  ?     Wo  worth  them   that   ever  they  were  about 

any   king !     But    how   shall   he   read  this   book  ?     As    the  How  homely 

Homilies3  are  read.      Some  call  them  homelies,  and  indeed  theygodry  e 

so  they  may  be  well  called,  for  they  are  homely  handled. 

For  though  the  priest  read  them  never  so  well,  yet  if  the 

parish  like  them  not,  there  is  such  talking  and  babbling  in 

the  church  that  nothing  can  be  heard ;  and  if  the  parish  be 

good  and  the  priest  naught,   he  will  so  hack  it  and  chop  it, 

that  it  were  as  good  for  them  to  be  without  it,  for  any  word 

that  shall  be  understood.     And  yet  (the  more  pity)  this  is 

P  Put  forth  in  the  year  1547.] 


122 


SEOOXI)     SER.MON     PREACHED     BEFOBE 


A  request  to 
the  king's 
grace. 


Negligent 
bishops. 


Learned  lay- 
men to  fur- 
nish the 
rooms  of 
bishops. 


The  clergy 
are  like  to  be 
brought  into 
slavery. 


suffered  of  your  Grace's  bishops,  in  their  dioceses,  unpunished. 
But  I  will  be  a  suiter  to  your  grace,  that  ye  will  give  your 
bishops  charge  ere  they  go  home,  upon  their  allegiance, 
to  look  better  to  their  flock,  and  to  see  your  Majesty's 
Injunctions1  better  kept,  and  send  your  Visitors  in  their  tails: 
and  if  they  be  found  negligent  or  faulty  in  their  duties, 
out  with  them.  I  require  it  in  God's  behalf,  make  them 
quondams,  all  the  pack  of  them.  But  peradventure  ye 
will  say,  "  Where  shall  we  have  any  to  put  in  their  rooms  ?" 
Indeed  I  were  a  presumptuous  fellow,  to  move  your  Grace 
to  put  them  out,  if  there  were  not  other  to  put  in  their 
places.  But  your  Majesty  hath  divers  of  your  chaplains, 
well  learned  men,  and  of  good  knowledge :  and  yet  ye 
have  some  that  be  bad  enough,  hangers-on  of  the  court ; 
I  mean  not  those.  But  if  your  Majesty's  chaplains,  and 
my  lord  Protector's,  be  not  able  to  furnish  their  places,  there 
is  in  this  realm  (thanks  be  to  God !)  a  great  sight  of  laymen, 
well  learned  in  the  scriptures,  and  of  virtuous  and  godly 
conversations,  better  learned  than  a  great  sight  of  us  of  the 
clergy.  I  can  name  a  number  of  them  that  are  able,  and 
would  be  glad,  I  dare  say,  to  minister  the  function,  if  they 
be  called  to  it.  I  move  it  of  conscience  to  your  Grace, 
let  them  be  called  to  it  orderly ;  let  them  have  institution, 
and  give  them  the  names  of  the  clergy.  I  mean  not 
the  name  only,  but  let  them  do  the  function  of  a  bishop, 
and  live  of  the  same :  not  as  it  is  in  many  places,  that 
one  should  have  the  name,  and  eight  other  the  profit2. 
For  what  an  enormity  is  this  in  a  christian  realm,  to  serve 
in  a  civility,  having  the  profit  of  a  provostship,  and  a  dean- 
ery, and  a  parsonage3 !  But  I  will  tell  you  what  is  like 
to  come  of  it ;  it  will  bring  the  clergy  shortly  into  a  very 
slavery. 


[i  See  Cardwell,  Document.  Annals,  &c.  Vol.  I.  pp.  4,  &c] 
[2  Allusion  is  here  made  to  the  practice  of  allowing  laymen  to 
enjoy  the  revenues  arising  from  ecclesiastical  endowments.  The 
preacher  may,  also,  have  had  in  view  the  alienation  of  church- 
property,  which  was  then  not  unfrequent.  Carte,  Hist,  of  England, 
in.  p.  239,  et  seq.     Pegge,  Life  of  Grosseteste,  pp.  357,  &c] 

[3  The  case,  no  doubt,  of  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  who  was  at  the  same 
time  Steward  of  the  Stanneries,  Secretary  of  State,  Provost  of  Eton, 
Dean  of  Carlisle.     Strype,  Life  of  Smith,  pp.  30,  et  seq.  Oxf.  Edit.] 


VIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  123 

I  may  not  forget  here  my  scala  cadi,  that  I  spake  of 
in  my  last  sermon.  I  will  repeat  it  now  again,  desiring 
your  Grace  in  God's  behalf,  that  ye  will  remember  it.  The 
bishop  of  Rome  had  a  scala  caili,  but  his  was  a  mass  matter.  The  tada 
This  scala  colli*,  that  I  now  speak  01,  is  the  true  ladder  five  steps. 
that  bringeth  a  man  to  heaven.  The  top  of  the  ladder, 
or  first  greese5,  is  this  :  "  Whosoever  calleth  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved."  The  second  step  : 
"  How  shall  they  call  upon  him,  in  whom  they  have  not 
believed  ?"  The  third  stair  is  this :  "  How  shall  they  be- 
lieve in  him,  of  whom  they  never  heard  ?"  The  fourth 
step :  "  How  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher  ?"  Now 
the  nether  end  of  the  ladder  is :  "  How  shall  they  preach 
except  they  be  sent?"  This  is  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  so 
that  we  may  go  backward  now,  and  use  the  school  argu- 
ment ;   a  primo   ad  ultimum :   take   away  preaching,  take 

away  salvation.      But  I  fear  one  thing;  and  it  is,  lest  for  The  fear  is 

J  ,  ,  .„     6     .  .        iiast> for  il  1S 

a  safety  of  a  little  money,   you  will  put  in  chantry  priests  done  already. 

to  save  their  pensions6.      But  I  will  tell  you,  Christ  bought 

souls   with   his  blood ;    and  will   ye   sell   them  for  gold   or 

silver  ?      I    would    not    that    ye    should    do    with    chantry 

priests,  as  ye  did  with  the  abbots,   when  abbeys  were  put 

down.     For  when  their  enormities  were  first  read  in  the 

parliament-house,  they  were  so  great  and  abominable,  that 

there  was  nothing  but  "down  with  them."      But  within  a  while  New  bishops 

i  •  of  old  abbots. 

after,  the  same  abbots  were  made  bishops',  as  there  be  some 
of  them  yet  alive,  to  save  and  redeem  their  pensions.  0 
Lord !  think  ye  that  God  is  a  fool,  and  seeth  it  not  ?  and  if 
he  see  it,  will  he  not  punish  it?  And  so  now  for  safety 
of  money,  I  would  not  that  ye  should  put  in  chantry 
priests.      I  speak   not  now  against  such  chantry  priests  as 

[4  This  scala  colli  is  the  true  ladder,  1549,  1562.] 

[5  step,  Fr.  grez.] 

[6  The  Act  1  Edw.  VI.  c.  14,  which  made  over  the  chantries 
to  the  crown,  provided  that  yearly  premiums  should  be  paid  to 
the  priests  and  others  connected  with  those  foundations:  but  it  was 
found  more  convenient  to  turn  those  priests  into  beneficed  clergymen, 
than  to  pay  their  pensions.] 

[7  E.  g.  Chambers,  bishop  of  Peterborough,  who  died  in  1556 ; 
Rugg  or  Reppes,  bishop  of  Norwich;  Salcot,  bishop  of  Salisbury, 
died  in  1559;  Wakeman,  first  bishop  of  Gloucester.  Godwin,  de 
Prsesulibus,  pp.  353,  440,  551,  558,  612,  &c] 


124 


SECOND    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE! 


[SERM. 


Worldly 
policy  feareth 
not  God. 


Smell-feasts 
or  flatterers. 


Jeroboam, 
1  Kings  xii. 


A  charm  to 
chase  away 


are  able  to  preach ;  but  those  that  are  not  able.  I  will 
not  have  them  put  in;  for  if  ye  do  this,  ye  shall  answer 
for  it. 

It  is  in  the  text,  that  a  king  ought  to  fear  God :  "he 
shall  have  the  dread  of  God  before  his  eyes."  Work  not  by 
worldly  policy;  for  worldly  policy  feareth  not  God.  Take 
heed  of  these  claw-backs,  these  venomous  people  that  will 
come  to  you,  that  will  follow  you  like  Gnathos  and  Para- 
sites ' :  if  you  follow  them,  you  are  out  of  your  book.  If  it 
be  not  according  to  God's  word  that  they  counsel  you,  do  it 
not  for  any  worldly  policy ;  for  then  ye  fear  not  God. 

It  followeth  in  the  text :  Ut  non  elevetur  cor  ejus,  "  That 
he  be  not  proud  above  his  brethren."  A  king  must  not  be 
proud,  for  God  might  have  made  him  a  shepherd,  when  he 
made  him  a  king,  and  done  him  no  wrong.  There  be  many 
examples  of  proud  kings  in  scripture;  as  Pharao,  that  would 
not  hear  the  message  of  God :  Herod  also,  that  put  John 
Baptist  to  death,  and  would  not  hear  him ;  he  told  him,  that 
"  it  was  not  lawful  for  him  to  marry  his  brother's  wife :" 
Jeroboam  also  was  a  proud  king.  Another  king  there  was 
that  worshipped  strange  gods,  and  idols  of  those  men  whom 
he  had  overcome  before  in  battle ;  and  when  a  prophet  told 
him  of  it,  what  said  he?  "Who  made  you  one  of  my  coun- 
cil?" These  were  proud  kings:  their  examples  are  not  to 
be  followed. 

But  wherefore  shall  a  king  "  fear  God,  and  turn  neither 
to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left?"  Wherefore  shall  he  do 
all  this?  Ut  longo  tempore  regnet  ipse  et  filii  ejus,  "That  he 
may  reign  long2  time,  he  and  his  children."  Remember  this, 
I  beseech  your  Grace ;  and  when  these  flatterers  and  flibber- 
gibs  another  day  shall  come,  and  claw  you  by  the  back,  and 
say,  "Sir,  trouble  not  yourself:  what  should  you  study? 
Why  should  you  do  this,  or  that?"  your  Grace  may  answer 
them  thus  and  say:  "What,  sirrah?  I  perceive  you  are  weary 
of  us  and  our  posterity.  Doth  not  God  say  in  such  a  place, 
that  a  king  should  write  out  a  book  of  God's  law,  and  read 
it,  learn  to  fear  God,  and  why  ?  That  he  and  his  might 
reign  long.  I  perceive  now  thou  art  a  traitor."  Tell  him 
this  tale  once,  and  I  warrant  you  he  will  come  no  more  to 

['   Parasiti  itidem  ut  Gnathonici  vocentur.     Teren.  Eun.  n.  2,  33.] 
[-  reign  long,  1549,  1562.] 


VIII.]  KING     EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  125 

you,  neither  he,  nor  any  after  such  a  sort.      And  thus  shall 
your  Grace  drive  these  flatterers  and  claw-backs  away. 

And  I  am  afraid  I  have  troubled  you  too  long :  therefore 
I   will  furnish  the  text3  with  an  history  or  two,  and  then  I 
will  leave  you  to  God.     Ye  have  heard  how  a  king  ought 
to  pass  the  time.     He  must  read  the  book  of  God;  and  it  is 
not  enough  for  him  to  read,  but  he  must  be  acquainted  with 
all  scripture ;  he  must  study,  and  he  must  pray  :  and  how 
shall  he  do  both  these?    He  may  learn  at  Salomon.      God 
spake  imto  Salomon  when  he  was  made  a  king,  and  bade  him 
ask  of  him  what  he  would,  and  he  should  have  it.     Make 
thy  petition,  said  God,  and  thou  shalt  obtain.      Now  mark 
Salomon's  prayer.     Domine,  0  Domine  Deus,  said  he,  "OiKmgshi. 
Lord  God,  it  is  thou  that  hast  caused  me  to  reign,  and  hast 
set  me  in  my  father's  seat ;  for  thou,  God,  only  dost  make 
kings."      Thus  should  kings  praise  God  and  thank  God,  as  Salomon  is  a 
Salomon  did.       But  what  was  his  petition  ?      Lord,  said  he,  prayerfor 
Da  mihi  cor  docile.     He  asked  "  a  docible  heart,  a  wise 
heart,  and  wisdom  to  go  in  and  to  go  out:"  that  is,  to  begin  Salomon 
all  mine  affairs  well,  and  to  bring  them  to  good  effect  and  wisdom. 
purpose,  that  I  may  learn  to  guide  and  govern  my  people. 

When  he  had  made  his  petition,  it  pleased  God  well,  that 
Salomon  asked  wisdom,  and  neither  riches  nor  long  life ;  and 
therefore  God  made  him  this  answer :  "  Because  thou  hast 
chosen  wisdom  above  all  things,  I  will  give  it  thee,  and  thou 
shalt  be  the  wisest  king  that  ever  was  before  thee."  And  so 
he  was,  and  the  wisest  in  all  kinds  of  knowledge  that  ever 
was  since.  And  though  he  did  not  ask  riches,  yet  God  gave 
him  both  riches  and  honour,  more  than  ever  any  of  his  ances- 
tors had.  So  your  Grace  must  learn  how  to  do,  of  Salomon. 
Ye  must  take  your  petition;  now  study,  now  pray.  They  study  and 
must  be  yoked  together ;  and  this  is  called  pastime  with  good  be'c'oup'u.-d 
company. 

Now  when  God  had  given  Salomon  wisdom,  he  sent  him 
by  and  by  occasion  to  occupy  his  wit.  For  God  gave  never 
a  gift,  but  he  sent  occasion,  at  one  time  or  another,  to  shew  it  God  minister- 
to  God's  glory.  As,  if  he  sent  riches,  he  sendeth  poor  men  to  use  hiT" 
to  be  helped  with  it.  But  now  must  men  occupy  their  goods 
otherwise.  They  will  not  look  on  the  poor ;  they  must  help 
their  children,  and  purchase  them  more  land  than  ever  their 
[8  text  now  with,  1549,  1562.] 


ilaint  of  two 
larlots  to 


J  26  SECOND    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

grandfathers  had  before  them.  But  I  shall  tell  you  what 
Christ  said :  "He  that  loveth  his  child  better  than  me,  is  not 
worthy  to  be  my  disciple."  I  cannot  see  how  ye  shall  stand 
before  God  at  the  latter  day,  when  this  sentence  shall  be  laid 
against  you. 

But  to  return  to  my  purpose :  there  were  two  poor 
Kings  iii.  women  came  before  Salomon  to  complain.  They  were  two 
harlots,  and  dwelled  together  in  one  house,  and  it  chanced 
within  two  days  they  childed  both.  The  one  of  these  women 
by  chance  in  the  night  had  killed  her  child,  and  rose  privily 
and  went  to  the  other  woman,  and  took  her  live  child  away, 
and  left  her  dead  child  in  his  place.  Upon  that  they  came 
The  com-  both  before  Salomon  to  have  the  matter  judged,  whose  the 
child  was.  And  the  one  said,  "It  is  my  child:"  "Nay,"  saith 
the  other,  "  it  is  my  cliild :"  "  Nay,"  saith  the  other,  "  it  is 
mine."  So  there  was  yea  and  nay  between  them,  and  they 
held  up  the  matter  with  scolding  after  a  woman-hke  fashion. 
At  the  length  Salomon  repeated  their  tale  as  a  good  judge 
ought  to  do,  and  said  to  the  one  woman :  "  Thou  sayest 
the  child  is  thine."  "  Yea,"  said  she.  "  And  thou  sayest 
it  is  thine,"  to  the  other.  "  Well,  fetch  me  a  sword,"  said 
he ;  for  there  was  no  way  now  to  try  which  was  the  true 
mother,  but  by  natural  inclination.  And  so  he  said  to  one 
of  his  servants,  "  Fetch  me  a  sword,  and  divide  the  child 
between  them."  When  the  mother  of  the  child  that  accused 
the  other  heard  him  say  so ;  "  Nay,  for  God's  sake,"  said 
she,  "  let  her  have  the  whole  child,  and  lull  it  not."  "  Nay," 
quoth  the  other,  "  neither  thine  nor  mine ;  but  let  it  be 
divided."  Then  said  Salomon,  "  Give  this  woman  the  child  : 
this  is  the  mother  of  the  child."  What  came  of  this?  Audivit 
omnes  Israel,  "When  all  Israel  heard  of  this  judgment,  they 
feared  the  king."  It  is  wisdom  and  godly  knowledge  that 
causeth  a  king  to  be  feared. 

One  word  note  here  for  God's  sake,  and  I  will  trouble 
you  no  longer.  Would  Salomon,  being  so  noble  a  king,  hear 
two  poor  women?  They  were  poor;  for,  as  the  scripture  saith, 
they  were  together  alone  in  a  house ;  they  had  not  so  much 
as  one  servant  between  them  both.  Would  king  Salomon, 
I  say,  hear  them  in  his  own  person  ?  Yea,  forsooth.  And 
yet  I  hear  of  many  matters  before  my  lord  Protector,  and  my 
lord  Chancellor,  that  cannot  be  heard.    I  must  desire  my  lord 


KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH. 


127 


Protector's  grace  to  hear  me  in  this  matter,  that  your  Grace  a  request 

y  to  the  lord 

would  hear  poor  men's  suits  yourself,  rut  them  to  none  protector. 
other  to  hear,  let  them  not  be  delayed.  The  saying  is  now, 
that  money  is  heard  every  where;  if  he  be  rich,  he  shall  soon 
have  an  end  of  his  matter.  Others  are  fain  to  go  home  with 
weeping  tears,  for  any  help  they  can  obtain  at  any  judge's 
hand.  Hear  men's  suits  yourself,  I  require  you  in  God's 
behalf,  and  put  it  not  to  the  hearing  of  these  velvet  coats, 
these  upskips:  Now  a  man  can  scarce  know  them  from  an 
ancient  knight  of  the  country.  I  cannot  go  to  my  book, 
for  poor  folks  come  unto  me,  desiring  me  that  I  will  speak  m.  Latimer 

r  '  O  J-  troubled  with 

that   their  matters   may  be   heard.      I  trouble   my  lord  of  poor  mens 

Canterbury ;  and  being  at  his  house,  now  and  then  I  walk 

in  the  garden  looking  in  my  book,  as  I  can  do  but  little 

good  at  it.      But  something  I  must  needs  do  to  satisfy  this 

place.     I  am  no  sooner  in  the  garden,  and  have  read  awhile, 

but  by  and  by  cometh  there  some  one  or   other  knocking 

at  the  gate.     Anon  cometh  my  man,  and  saith :   "  Sir,  there 

is  one  at  the  gate  would  speak  with  you."      When  I  come 

there,  then  is  it  some  one  or  other  that  desireth  me  that  I 

will  speak  that  his  matter  might  be  heard ;  and  that  he  hath 

lain  this  long  at  great  costs  and  charges,  and  cannot  once 

have  his  matter  come  to  the  hearing :  but  among  all  other, 

one  specially  moved  me  at  this  time  to  speak.     This  it  is, 

sir.     A  gentlewoman  came  to  me  and  told  me,  that  a  great  The  gentie- 

°  •nil  woman's 

man  keepeth  certain  lands  of  hers  from  her,  and  will  be  her  complaint. 
tenant  in  the  spite  of  her  teeth ;  and  that  in  a  whole  twelve- 
month she  could  not  get  but  one  day  for  the  hearing  of  her 

matter ;  and  the  same  day  when  the  matter  should  be  heard,  Lawyers  are 
i  •  i  like  Switzt'r- 

the  great  man  brought  on  his  side  a  great  sight  of  lawyers  that wo-ve 

for  his  counsel,  the  gentlewoman  had  but  one  man  of  law ;  fna0v^emost 

and  the  great  man  shakes  him  so,  that  he  cannot  tell  what 

to  do ;  so  that  when  the  matter  came  to  the  point,  the  judge 

was  a  mean  to  the  gentlewoman,  that  she  would  let  the  great 

man  have  a  quietness  in  her  land. 

I  beseech  your  grace  that  ye  will  look  to  these  matters. 

Hear   them   yourself.      View   your  judges,    and   hear   poor 

men's  causes.     And  you,  proud  judges,  hearken  what  God 

saith  in  his  holy  book :  Audite  illos,  ita  parvum  ut  magnum,. 

"  Hear  them,"  saith  he,  "  the  small  as  well  as  the  great,  the 

poor  as  well  as  the  rich."      Regard  no  person,  fear  no  man  : 


128 


SECOND    SERMON,     &C. 


SERM.   VIII 


Except 
before, 
except,  that 
is  to  say, 
except  it  be 
for  money. 


The  poor 
widow  lving 

in  the  Fleet. 


why?  Quia  Domini  judicium  est,  " The  judgment  is  God's." 
Mark  this  saying,  thou  proud  judge.  The  devil  will  bring 
this  sentence  at  the  day  of  doom.  Hell  will  be  full  of  these 
judges,  if  they  repent  not  and  amend.  They  are  worse  than 
the  wicked  judge  that  Christ  speaketh  of,  that  neither  feared 
God,  nor  the  world.  There  was  a  certain  widow  that  was  a 
suitor  to  a  judge,  and  she  met  him  in  every  corner  of  the 
street,  crying,  "  I  pray  you  hear  me,  I  beseech  you  hear 
me,  I  ask  nothing  but  right."  When  the  judge  saw  her  so 
importunate,  "  Though  I  fear  neither  God,"  saith  he,  "  nor 
the  world,  yet  because  of  her  importunateness  I  will  grant 
her  request."  But  our  judges  are  worse  than  this  judge 
was ;  for  they  will  neither  hear  men  for  God's  sake,  nor 
fear  of  the  world,  nor  importunateness,  nor  any  thing  else. 
Yea,  some  of  them  will  command  them  to  ward,  if  they  be 
importunate.  I  heard  say,  that  when  a  suitor  came  to  one 
of  them,  he  said,  "  What  fellow  is  it  that  giveth  these  folk 
counsel  to  be  so  importunate?  He  would  be  punished  and 
committed  to  ward."  Marry,  sir,  punish  me  then ;  it  is  even 
I  that  gave  them  counsel,  I  woidd  gladly  be  punished  in 
such  a  cause.  And  if  ye  amend  not,  I  will  cause  them  to 
cry  out  upon  you  still ;  even  as  long  as  I  live :  I  will  do  it 
indeed.  But  I  have  troubled  you  long.  As  I  began  with 
this  sentence :  Qucecunque  scripta  sunt,  &c,  so  will  I  end 
now  with  this  text :  Beati  qui  audiunt  verbum  Dei,  et  cus- 
todiunt  illud;  "Blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God, 
and  keep  it." 

There  was  another  suit,  and  I  had  almost  forgotten  it. 
There  is  a  poor  woman  that  lieth  in  the  Fleet,  and  can- 
not come,  by  any  means  that  she  can  make,  to  her  answer, 
and  would  fain  be  bailed,  offering  to  put  in  sureties  worth 
a  thousand  pound ;  and  yet  she  cannot  be  heard.  Methink 
this  is  a  reasonable  cause ;  it  is  a  great  pity  that  such  things 
should  so  be.  I  beseech  God  that  he  will  grant,  that  all 
that  is  amiss  may  be  amended,  that  we  may  hear  his  word 
and  keep  it,  that  we  may  come  to  the  eternal  bliss !  To  the 
which  bliss  I  beseech  God  to  bring  both  you  and  me.    Amen. 


THE  THIRD   SERMON   OF   M.  HUGH    LATIMER,   PREACHED 

BEFORE   KING  EDWARD,  MARCH 

TWENTY- SECOND  [1549.] 


[ROMANS  XV.  4.] 

Qucecunque  scripta  sunt,  ad  nostrum  doctrinam  scripta  sunt. 
All  tilings  that  are  written,  are  written  to  be  our  doctrine. 

All  things  that  be  written  in  God's  holy  book,  the  bible, 
are  written  to  be  our  doctrine,  long  before  our  time,  to  serve 
from  time  to  time,  and  so  forth  to  the  world's  end. 

Ye  shall  have  in  remembrance,  most  benign  and  gracious 
audience,  that  a  preacher  hath  two  offices,  and  the  one  to  be  a  preacher 
used  orderly  after  another.     The  first   is,   Exhortari  per  offices. 
sanam  doctrinam,  "To  teach  true  doctrine."     He  shall  have  1.  to  teach 
also  occasion  oftentimes  to  use  another  ;  and  that  is,  Contra-  2.  to  confute 

■  ,>  gainsayers 

dicentes  convincere,  "  To  reprehend,  to  convince,  to  confute  andspumers 

•r.  against  the 

gainsayers,  and  spurners  against  the  truth."      "  Why,"  you  truth- 
will  say,  "  will  any  body  gainsay  true  doctrine,  and  sound 
doctrine?    Well,  let  a  preacher  be  sure  that  his  doctrine  be 
true,  and  it  is  not  to  be  thought  that  any  body  will  gainsay 
it."     If  St  Paul  had  not  foreseen  that  there  should  be  gain- 
sayers, he  had  not  need  to  have  appointed  the  confutation  of 
gainsaying.     Was  there  ever  yet  preacher  but  there  were  Preachers 
gainsayers  that  spurned,  that  winced,  that  whimpered  against  be"»  ga»i- 
him,  that  blasphemed,  that  gainsayed  it  ?    When  Moses  came 
to  Egypt  with  soimd  doctrine,   he  had  Pharao  to  gainsay 
him.     Jeremy  was  the  minister  of  the  true  word  of  God;  he 
had  gainsayers,   the  priests  and  the  false  prophets.     Elias 
had  all  Baal's  priests,  supported  by  Jesabel,  to  speak  against 
him.     John  Baptist,  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  had  the 
Pharisees,  the  scribes,  and  the  priests,  gainsayers  to  them. 
The  apostles  had  gainsayers  also ;  for  it  was  said  to  St  Paul 
at  Pome,  Notwn  est  nobis  quod  ubique  sectaz  huic  contra- 
dicitur :     "We  know  that    every   man   doth  gainsay   this Ac^  xxvm. 
learning*."     After  the  apostles'  time  the  truth  was  gainsayed  Eusamsde 

•  i  tvt  t.*-  •  t-v        •  •  11-  temporalis. 

with  tyrants,  as  Nero,  Maxentms,  Dormtianus,  and  such  hke :  HUtoria 

«  '  '  ecclesiastica 

and  also  by  the  doctrine  of  wicked  heretics.     In  the  popish  saM/l™* 
mass-time  there  was  no  gainsaying ;  all  things  seemed  to  be 
r  1  9 

[LATIMER.  J 


130  THIRD    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

we  were  then  in  peace,  in  a  concord,  in  a  quiet  agreement.      So  long  as  we 

at  peace  with  -1  x  °  ° 

Ltdeblte and  "  in  adoration,  in  admiration,  the  popish  mass,  we  were 
with ood.  then  without  gainsaying.  What  was  that?  The  same  that 
Christ  speaketh  of,  Cum  fortis  armatus  custodierit  atrium, 
&c.,  "  When  Satan,  the  devil,  hath  the  guiding  of  the  house, 
he  keepeth  all  in  peace  that  is  in  his  possession."  When 
Satan  ruleth,  and  beareth  dominion  in  open  religion,  as  he 
did  with  us  when  we  preached  pardon-matters,  purgatory- 
matters,  and  pilgrimage-matters,  all  was  quiet.  He  is  ware 
enough,  he  is  wily,  and  circumspect  for  stirring  up  any 
sedition.  When  he  keepeth  his  territory,  all  is  in  peace.  If 
there  were  any  man  that  preached  in  England  in  times  past, 
in  the  Pope's  times,  as  peradventure  there  was  two  or  three, 
straightways  he  was  taken  and  nipped  in  the  head  with  the 
title  of  an  heretic.  When  he  hath  the  religion  in  possession, 
he  stirreth  up  no  sedition,  I  warrant  you. 
The  devii  How  many  dissensions  have  we  heard  of  in  Turky?  But 

dissensions    a  few,  I  warrant   you.      He  busieth  himself  there  with  no 

in  Turkey. 

dissension.  For  he  hath  there  dominion  in  the  open  religion, 
and  lieedeth  not  to  trouble  himself  any  further.  The  Jews, 
like  runagates,  wheresoever  they  dwell  (for  they  be  dispersed, 
and  be  tributaries  in  all  countries  where  they  inhabit),  look 
whether  ye  hear  of  any  heresies  among  them?  But  when 
when  the  fortis  supervenerit,  when  one  stronger  than  the  devil  cometh 
reth  him  and  in  place,   which  is  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  revealeth 

plaveth  his 

pan.  his  Word,  then  the  devil  roareth;   then  he  bestirreth   him; 

then  he  raiseth  diversity  of  opinions  to  slander  God's  word. 

And   if  ever  concord   should   have   been   in   religion,   when 
preachers  are  should  it  have  been  but  when  Christ  was  here  ?    Ye  .find 

noted  to  be 

sediUonSeof  ^amk  w^h  P1,eac^ersJ  an(l  saJ>  they  cause  sedition.     We  are 

noted  to  be  rash,  and  undiscreet  in  our  preaching.     Yet  as 

discreet  as  Christ  was,   there  was  diversity;   yea,  what  he 

was  himself.      For  when  he  asked  what  men  called  him,  his 

Mattxvi.     apostles  answered  him,   "Some  say  you  are   John  Baptist, 

Lukcix.       some  say  you  are  Elias,  and  some  say  you  are  one  of  the 

prophets;"  and  these  were  they  that  spake  best  of  him.     For 

some  said  he  was  a  Samaritan,  that  he  had  a  devil  within 

There  was     him,    a   glosser,    a  drinker,    a   pot-companion.      There   was 

fonVi'when  never  prophet  to  be  compared  to  him,  and  yet  was  there 

poached,      never  more  dissension  than  when  he  was,  and  preached  liim- 

self.     If  it  were  contraried  then,  will  ye  think  it  shall  not  be 


IX.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  131 

contraried   now,    when   charity   is   so   cold  and  iniquity   so 
strong?     Thus   these1    backbiters   and    slanderers   must   bo 
convinced.     St  Paul  said,  there  shall  be  intractabiles,   that  [Tit.  i.  id.] 
will  wliimp  and  whine ;  there  shall  be  also  vaniloqui,  vain- 
speakers.     For  the  which  St  Paul  appointeth  the  preacher  to  ^figg"*1 
stop  their  mouths,  and  it  is  a  preacher's  office  to  be  a  mouth-  sbte0p  ™uth" 
stopper. 

This  day  I  must  somewhat  do  in  the  second  office :  I  must 
be  a  gainsayer,  and  I  must  stop  their  mouths,  convince,  refel 
and  confute  that  they  speak  slanderously  of  me.  There  be 
some  gainsayers ;  for  there  be  some  slanderous  people,  vain- 
speakers,  and  intractabiles,  which  I  must  needs  speak 
against.  But  first  I  will  make  a  short  rehearsal  to  put  you 
in  memory  of  that  that  I  spake  in  my  last  sermon.  And 
that  done,  I  will  confute  one  that  slandereth  me.  For  one 
there  is  that  I  must  needs  answer  unto;  for  he  slandereth  me 
for  my  preaching  before  the  king's  majesty.  There  be  some 
to  blame,  that  when  the  preacher2  is  weary,  yet  they  will 
have  him  speak  all  at  once.  Ye  must  tarry  till  ye  hear 
more ;  ye  must  not  be  offended  till  ye  hear  the  rest. 
Hear  all,  and  then  judge  all.  What,  ye  are  very  hasty, 
very  quick  with  your  preachers !  But  before  I  enter  fur- 
ther into  this  matter,  I  shall  desire  you  to  pray,  &c. 

First  of  all,  as  touching  my  first  sermon,   I  will  run  it  The  epitogm 

..     .         ,  T  •.        .  or  rehearsal 

over  cursorily,  ripping  a  little  the  matter.  1  brought  in  a  of  the  first 
history  of  the  bible,  exciting  my  audience  to  beware  of  by- 
walkings,  to  walk  ordinately,  plainly,  the  king's  highway, 
and  agree  to  that  which  standeth  with  the  order  of  a  realm. 
I  shewed  you  how  we  were  under  the  blessing  of  God,  for 
our  king  is  nobilis.  I  shewed  you  we  have  a  noble  king, 
true  inheritor  to  the  crown  without  doubt.  I  shewed  further- 
more of  his  godly  education.      He  hath  such  schoolmasters  The  king's 

i  •  11      i  i  •  school- 

aS  cannot  be  gotten  in  all  the  realm  agam.  masters. 

Wherefore  we  may  be  sure  that  God  blessed  this  realm, 
although  he  cursed  the  realm  whose  ruler  is  a  child,  under 
whom  the  officers  be  climbing,  and  gleaning3,  stirring,  scratch- 
ing and  scraping,  and  voluptuously  set  on  banqueting,  and 
for    the   maintenance   of  their    voluptuousness   go   by-walks. 

\}  the  backbiters,  1584.] 
[2  a  preacher,  1549,  1571.] 

[3  gteyyinge,  1549,  1562;  gleynyng,  1571;  gleining,  1584.] 

9 — 2 


132  THIRD    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [.SERM. 

The  council    And  although  he  be  young,  he  hath  as  good  and  as  sage  a 
inn o their      council  as  ever  was  in  England;   which  we  may  well  know 

conilmn  and  ~ 

"raise*         DJ  tneu*  S0(^J  proceedings,  and  setting  forth  the  Avord  of 

God.      Therefore  let  us  not  be  worse  than  the  stiff-necked 

The  people    Jews.      In   king  Josias'  time,   who   being  young    did   alter, 

allain'itkln^6  change,  and  correct  wonderfully  the  religion,  it  was  never 

minority. '"   heard  in  Jewry,  that  the  people  repined  or  said,  "  The  king 

is  a  child :  this  gear  will  not  last  long :  it  is  but  one  or  two 

men's  doings  :   it  will  not   tarry  but  for  a  time ;  the   king 

knowcth  it  not."     Wo  worth  that  ever  such  men  were  born ! 

Take  heed  lest  for  our  rebellion  God  take  his  blessing  away 

from  us ! 

what  is  a  I  entered  into  the  place  of  the  king's  pastime  :  I  told 

p""nne!ke    you  how  he  must  pass  Ms  time  in  reading  the  book  of  God, 

(for  that  is  the  king's  pastime  by  God's  appointment,)  in  the 

which  book  he  shall  learn  to   fear  God.      Oh  how  careful 

God  is  care-    God  is  to  set  in  an  order  all  things  that  belong  to  a  kino;,  in 

ful  for  a  ,  •        ,  ,  .       ,  .  ,  !        •       ,  •  i  t 

king's  house.  Ins  chamber,  in  his  stable,  in  his  treasure-house! 
The  king  is  These  peevish  people  in  this  realm  have  nothing  but  "the 

man-s  mouth  King,  the  King,"  in  their  mouths,  when  it  maketh  for  their 
niak.ihfor     purpose.     As  there  was  a  doctor1  that  preached,  "the  king's 

their  purpose.  r        *  i  o 

Majesty  hath  his  holy  water,  he  creepeth  to  the  cross :"  and 
then  they  have  nothing  but  "the  King,  the  King,"  in  their 
mouths.  These  be  they,  my  good  people,  that  must  have 
their  mouths  stopped :  but  if  a  man  tell  them  of  the  King's 

oainforshifts  proceedings,  now  they  have  their  shifts  and  their  put-offs, 
saying,  "We  may  not  go  before  a  law,  we  may  break  no 
order."  These  be  the  wicked  preachers  ;  their  mouths  must 
be  stopped :  these  be  the  gainsayers. 

a  king  must  Another  thing  there  is  that  I  told  you  of,  Ne  elevetur  cor 

epro"    regis,  &c,  "  The  king  must  not  be  proud  over  his  brethren." 

He  must  order  his  people  with  brotherly  love  and  charity. 

Here  I  brought  in  examples  of  proud  kings.     It  is  a  great 

t1  The  allusion  is  probably  to  Bishop  Gardiner,  who  greatly 
influenced  the  mind  of  Henry  VIII.  toward  Romanism;  and  was 
chiefly  concerned  in  drawing  up  a  Book  of  Ceremonies  with  a  view 
to  its  being  adopted  by  Convocation  in  1539.  He  failed  in  his  object, 
but  most  of  the  ceremonies  which  that  book  recommended  to  be  ob- 
served are  recognised  in  a  Proclamation  put  forth  by  Henry  VIII. 
in  which  "holy  water,"  and  "creeping  to  the  cross,"  are  speci- 
fied as  practices  to  be  maintained.  See  Strype,  Eccl.  Mem.  i.  i.  p.  546; 
ii.  pp.  411,  et  set^. :  n.  ii.  p.  186.     Wilkins,  Concilia,  in.  842.] 


Three  kinds 
of  pride  in 

a  km;,'. 


IX.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  133 

pride  in  kings  and  magistrates  when  they  will  not  hear,  nor 

be  conformable  to  the  sound  doctrine  of  God.      It  is  another 

kind  of  pride  in  kings  when  they  think  themselves  so  high, 

so  lofty,  that  they  disdain,  and  think  it  not  for  their  honour, 

to  hear  poor  men's  causes  themselves.    They  have  claw-backs  Kings  have 

that  say  unto  them,  "  What,  Sir  ?  What  need  you  to  trouble  p^1'))(jt/r 

yourself  ?  Take  you  your  pleasure,  hunt,  hawk,  dance,  and  ^d^r 

dally :  let  us  alone ;  we  will  govern  and  order  the  common-  back  counsel- 

weal  matters  well  enough."    Wo  worth  them !  they  have  been 

the  root  of  all  mischief  and  destruction  in  this  realm. 

A  kino-  ouo-ht  not  only  for  to  read  and  study,  but  also  to  a  king  must 

P  "  pray  as  well 

pray.     Let  him  borrow  example  of  Salomon,  who  pleased as  read- 
God  highly  with  his  petition,  desiring  no  worldly  things,  but  Salomon 
wisdom,  which  God  did  not  only  grant  Mm,  but  because  he  wisdom. 
asked  wisdom,  he  gave  him  many  more  things ;  as  riches, 
honour,   and  such   like.      Oh,  how  it  pleased  God  that  he 
asked  wisdom !     And  after  he  had  given  him  this  wisdom, 
he  sent  him  also  occasion  to  use  the  same  by  a  couple  of 
strumpets.     Here  I  told  an  example  of  a  meek  king,  who  so 
continued,  until  he  came  into  the  company  of  strange  women. 
He  heard  them  not  by  means,  or  by  any  other,  but  in  his  Salomon 
own  person :  and  I  think  verily  the  natural  mother  had  never  causes  and 
had  her  own  child,  if  he  had  not  heard  the  cause  himself.  °ftas  people. 
They  were  meretrices,  whores ;   although  some  excuse  the 
matter,  and  say  they  were  but  tipplers,  such  as  keep  ale- 
houses.    But  it  is  but  folly  to  excuse  them,  seeing  the  Jews 
were  such,  and  not  unlike  but  they  had  their  stews,  and  the 
maintenance  of  whoredom,  as  they  had  of  other  vices. 

One  thing  I  must  here  desire  you  to  reform,  my  lords :  m.  Latimers 
you  have  put  down  the  stews2 :  but  I  pray  you  what  is  the  ta£Tttc 
matter  amended  ?  What  availeth  that  ?  Ye  have  but  changed 
the  place,  and  not  taken  the  whoredom  away.  God  should 
be  honoured  every  where ;  for  the  scripture  saith,  Domini  est 
terra  et  plenitudo  ejus,  "  The  earth  and  the  land  is  the 
Lord's."  What  place  should  be,  then,  within  a  christian 
realm  left  for  to  dishonour  God?  I  must  needs  shew  you 
such  news  as  I  hear :  for  though  I  see  it  not  myself,  not- 
withstanding it  cometh  faster  to  me  than  I  would  wish. 
I  do  as  St  Paul  doth  to  the  Corinthians :  Auditur  inter  vos 

[2  Suppressed  in  1546  by  Henry  VIII.    Stowe's  Survey  of  London, 
by  Strype,  Vol.  n.  p.  7.] 


134  THIRD    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

stuprum;  "There  is  such  a  whoredom  among  you  as  is  not 
among  the  gentiles."      So  likewise  auditur,  I  hear  say  that 
there  is  such  a  whoredom  in  England  as  never  was  seen  the 
ah  the         like.     He  charged  all  the  Corinthians  for  one  man's  offence, 
rhuM.i'for    sayino-  they  were  all  guilty  for  one  man's  sin,  if  they  would 
°iI,e  not  correct  and  redress  it,  but  wink  at  it.      Lo,  here  may 

you  see  how  that  one  man's  sin  polluted  all  Corinth.  "A 
little  leaven,"  as  St  Paul  saith,  "  corrupteth  a  great  deal  of 
douo-h."  Tins  is,  communicare  alienis  peccatis,  "to  be 
partaker  of  other  men's  sins."  I  advertise  you  in  God's 
name,  look  to  it.  I  hear  say  there  is  now  more  whoredom 
in  London  than  ever  there  was  on  the  Bank1.  These  be 
the  news  I  have  to  tell  you :  I  fear  they  be  true.  Ye  ought 
to  hear  of  it,  and  redress  it.  I  hear  of  it,  and,  as  St  Paul 
saith,  aliqua  ex  parte  credo.  There  is  more  open  whore- 
dom, more  stewed  whoredom,  than  ever  was  before.  For 
God's  sake  let  it  be  looked  upon ;  it  is  your  office  to  see 
unto  it.  Now  to  my  confutation, 
of  one  that  There  is  a  certain  man  that,  shortly  after  my  first  ser- 

L.'i'imer  to  be  mon,  being  asked  if  he  had  been  at  the  sermon  that  day, 
fellow.         answered,  Yea.      "  I   pray  you,"   said  he,   "  how  liked  you 
him  ?"     "  Marry,"  said  he,   "  even  as  I  liked  him  always : 
a  seditious  fellow."     Oh  Lord !  he  pinched  me  there  indeed  ; 
Christ  was     nay,  he  had  rather  a  full  bite  at  me.     Yet  I  comfort  myself 
.'".hnousra    with  that,  that  Christ  himself  was  noted  to  be  a  stirrer  up 
people0    e  of  the  people  against  the  emperor ;  and  was  contented  to  be 
called  seditious.     It  becometh  me  to  take  it  in  good  worth : 
I  am  not  better  than  he  was.      In  the  king's  days  that  dead 
is  a  many  of  us  were  called  together  before  him  to  say  our 
How  m.        minds  in  certain  matters.    In  the  end,  one  kneeleth  me  down, 
a< v  '.'"'i  toas  and  accuseth  me  of  sedition,  that  I  had  preached  seditious 
vTn.  tn  y    doctrine.      A  heavy  salutation,  and  a  hard  point  of  such  a 
man's  doing,  as  if  I  should  name  him,  ye  would  not  think 
it.      The  king  turned  to  me  and  said,    "  What  say  you  to 
that,  sir?"      Then   I   kneeled   down,   and  turned    me    first 
to  mine   accuser,    and   required   him :    "  Sir,   what   form   of 
preaching  would  you  appoint  me  to  preach  before  a  king  ? 
Would  you  have  me  for  to  preach  nothing  as  concerning  a 
king  in   the  king's  sermon?     Have  you  any  commission  to 
appoint  mo  what  I  shall  preach  ?"     Besides  this,  I  asked  him 
[l  In  Southwark.] 


IX.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  135 

divers  other  questions,  and  he  would  make  no  answer  to  none 
of  them  all :  he  had  nothing  to  say.  Then  I  turned  me  to 
the  kino-,  and  submitted  myself  to  his  Grace,  and  said,  "  I  His  answer 

°  ,  x  to  the  king. 

never  thought  myself  worthy,  nor  1  never  sued  to  be  a 
preacher  before  your  Grace,  but  I  was  called  to  it,  and  would 
be  willing,  if  you  mislike  me,  to  give  place  to  my  betters ; 
for  I  grant  there  be  a  great  many  more  worthy  of  the  room 
than  I  am.  And  if  it  be  your  Grace's  pleasure  so  to  allow 
them  for  preachers,  I  could  be  content  to  bear  their  books 
after  them.  But  if  your  Grace  allow  me  for  a  preacher, 
I  would  desire  your  Grace  to  give  me  leave  to  discharge  my 
conscience ;   give  me  leave  to  frame  my  doctrine  according  a  preacher 

mu^t  have 

to  mine  audience :  I  had  been  a  very  dolt  to  have  preached  r<;sPect  to  the 

<J  J-  place  and  to 

so  at  the  borders  of  your  realm,  as  I  preach  before  your  the  i,ersons- 
Grace." 

And  I  thank  Almighty  God,  which  hath  always  been  my 
remedy,  that  my  sayings  were  well  accepted  of  the  king ;  for, 
like  a  gracious  lord,  he  turned  into  another  communication. 
It  is  even  as  the  scripture  saith,  Cor  regis  in  manu  Domini, 
"The  Lord  directed  the  king's  heart."  Certain  of  my  friends 
came  to  me  with  tears  in  their  eyes,  and  told  me  they  looked 
I  should  have  been  in  the  tower  the  same  night.  Thus  have 
I  evermore  been  burdened  with  the  word  of  sedition.  I  have 
oifended  God  grievously,  transgressing  his  law,  and  but  for 
this  remedy2  and  his  mercy  I  would  not  look  to  be  saved : 
as  for  sedition,  for  aught  that  I  know,  methinks  I  should  not 
need  Christ,  if  I  might  so  say ;  but  if  I  be  clear  in  any 
tiling,    I  am  clear  in  this.      So   far   as   I  know  mine   own  m.  Latimer 

°  ,   ,  _         was  ever  void 

heart,  there   is  no  man  further  from  sedition  than  I ;  which  of  sedition. 
I  have  declared  in  all  my  doings,  and  yet  it  hath  been  ever 
laid  to  me. 

Another  time,  when  I  gave  over  mine  office,  I  should 
have  received  a  certain  duty  that  they  call  a  Pentecostal3 : 
it  came  to  the  sum  of  fifty  and  five  pound :  I  set4  my  com- 

[2  his  remedy,  1549.] 

[3  A  stated  annual  composition  paid  by  every  bouse  or  family  in 
the  diocese  to  the  cathedral  or  niother-church,  from  whom,  at  the 
feast  of  Pentecost,  they  received  a  general  Absolution.  Bishop  Latimer 
"gave  over  his  office"  on  the  first  of  July,  1539,  so  that  the  Pente- 
costal for  that  year  was  legally  due  to  him.] 

[*  sent,  1549.] 


Of  the  new 

shilling. 


136  THIRD    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sEEM. 

missary  to  gather  it,  but  he  could  not  be  suffered,  for.it  was 
said  a  sedition  should  rise  upon  it.  Thus  they  burdened  me 
ever  with  sedition.  So  this  gentleman  cometh  up  now  with 
sedition.  And  wot  ye  what  ?  I  chanced  in  my  last  sermon 
to  speak  a  merry  word  of  the  new  shilling,  to  refresh  my 
auditory,  how  I  was  like  to  put  away  my  new  shilling  for 
an  old  groat.  I  was  herein  noted  to  speak  seditiously.  Yet 
I  comfort  myself  in  one  thing,  that  I  am  not  alone,  and 
that  I  have  a  fellow  ;  for  it  is  consolatio  miserorum :  it  is 
comfort  of  the  wretched  to  have  company. 
m.  Latimer  When  I  was  in  trouble1,  it  was  objected  and  said  unto 

singularity  me,  that  I  was  singular ;  that  no  man  thought  as  I  thought ; 
that  I  loved  a  singularity  in  all  that  I  did ;  and  that  I  took 
a  way  contrary  to  the  king  and  the  whole  parliament :  and 
that  I  was  travailed  with  them  that  had  better  wits  than  I, 
that  I  was  contrary  to  them  all.  Marry,  Sir,  this  was  sore2 
thunderbolts.  I  thought  it  an  irksome  thing  to  be  alone,  and 
to  have  no  fellow.  I  thought  it  was  possible  it  might  not  be 
true  that  they  told  me.  In  the  seventh  of  John,  the  priests 
sent  out  certain  of  the  Jews,  to  bring  Christ  unto  them 
violently.  When  they  came  into  the  temple  and  heard  him 
preach,  they  were  so  moved  with  Ins  preaching,  that  they 
returned  home  again,  and  said  to  them  that  sent  them, 
Nunquam  sic  locutus  est  homo  ut  hie  homo  :  "  There  was 
a  paraphras-  never  man  spake  like  this  man."  Then  answered  the  Pha- 
51"  risees,  Num  et  vos  seducti  estis?  "What,  ye  brain-sick  fools, 
ye  hoddy-pecks3,  ye  doddy-pouls4,  ye  huddes5,  do  ye  be- 
lieve him  ?  are  you  seduced  also  ?  Nunquis  ex  principi- 
bas  credit  in  earn  ?  Did  ye  see  any  great  man,  or  any 
great  officer  take  his  part  ?  Do  ye  see  anybody  follow  him 
but  beggarly  fishers,  and  such  as  have  nothing  to  take  to? 
Nunquis  ex  Pharisceis  ?  Do  ye  see  any  holy  man,  any 
perfect  man,  any  learned  man,  take  his  part  ?  Turba  quae 
ignorat  legem  execrabilis  est:  This  lay  people  is  accursed: 
it  is  they  that  know  not  the  law  that  take  Ins  part,  and  none 
else." 

t1  Respecting  the  Statute  of  the  Six  Articles.] 
[2  this  was  a  sore,  1549.] 

[3  hoddypake  :   a  term   of   reproach   synonymous  with   cuckold. 
Toone.] 

[f  doddy-polls,  thickheads,  dolts.]        [5  husks,  refuse  of  the  earth.] 


n.iii 


IX.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  137 

Lo,  here  the  Pharisees  had  nothing  to  choke  the  people 
withal  but  ignorance.     They  did  as  our  bishops  of  England,  me  bishops 
who  upbraided  the  people  always  with  ignorance,  where  they  people  igno- 
were  the  cause  of  it  themselves.     There  were,  saith  St  John,  were  the 

cause  or  it 

multi  ex  principibus  qui  crediderunt  in  eum,  "  Many  of  the  themselves. 
chief  men  believed  in  him;"  and  that  was  contrary  to  the 
Pharisees'  saying.    Oh  then,  belike  they  belied  liim,  he  was 
not  alone.    So  thought  I,  there  be  more  of  mine  opinion  than 
I  thought6 :  1  was  not  alone.     I  have  now  gotten  one  fellow 
more,  a  companion  of  sedition ;  and  wot  ye  who  is  my  fellow  ?  m.  Latimer 
Esay  the  prophet.      I  spake  but  of  a  little  pretty  sliilling,  a  prophet  to 
but  he  speaketh  to  Jerusalem  after  another  sort,  and  was  so  pamon. 
bold  to  meddle  with  their  coin.     "  Thou  proud,  thou  covet- 
ous, thou  haughty  city  of  Hierusalem  :"  Argentum  tuum  ver- 
sum  est  in  scoriam.    "Thy  silver  is  turned  into,"  what?  into 
testions7?     Scoriam:  "into  dross." 

Ah,  seditious  wretch !  what  had  he  to  do  with  the  mint  ? 
Why  should  not  he  have  left  that  matter  to  some  master  of  Mark  well 
policy  to  reprove  ?      "  Thy  silver  is  dross ;  it  is  not  line,  it  i"*^  med- 
is  counterfeit ;  thy  silver  is  turned ;  thou  hadst  good  silver."  ulfeoTnof 
What  pertained  that  to  Esay  ?     Marry,  he  espied  a  piece 
of  divinity  in  that  policy;   he  threateneth  them  God's  ven- 
geance for  it.     He  went  to  the  root  of  the  matter,  which 
was  covetousness.     He  espied  two  points  in  it,  that  either  two  causes 

_  i   •    i       i  i  •  j  wllv  money 

it  came  ot  covetousness,  which   became  him  to  reprove ;  or  in Esays 

x  time  was 

else  that  it  tended  to  the  hurt  of  the  poor  people8 :  for  the  m°(rew^ 
naughtiness  of  the  silver  was  the  occasion  of  dearth  of  all 
things  in  the  realm.  He  imputeth  it  to  them  as  a  great 
crime.  He  may  be  called  a  master  of  sedition  indeed.  Was 
not  this  a  seditious  varlet,  to  tell  them  this  to  their  beards, 
to  their  face? 

This   seditious   man   goeth   also    forth,    saying,     Vinum  isaiah  m.<i. 
tuum  mixtum  est  aqua,  "  Thy  wine  is  mingled  with  water."  vintners. 
Here  he  meddleth  with  vintners :  belike  there  were  brewers 
in  those  days,  as  there  be  now.      It  had  been  good  for  our 
missal-priests   to   have  dwelled  in    that  country ;    for   they 

[6  than  I;  I  thought,  1549.] 

[7  Or  testoon.  A  coin  originally  worth  a  shilling;  afterwards 
"  cried  down"  to  ninepence ;  and  finally  to  sixpence,  which  still  retains 
the  name  of  tester.     Folkes,  Table  of  English  Silver  Coins,  pp.  37,  38.] 

[8  of  poor  people,  1584.] 


138  THIRD    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

might  have  been  sure  to  have  their  wine  well  mingled 
m.  Latimer  with  water.  I  remember  how  scrupulous  I  was  in  my  time 
th1ng°scrupu-  of  blindness  and  ignorance :  Avhen  I  should  say  mass,  I  have 
he  was  a"     pUt  in  water  twice  or  thrice  for  failing;  insomuch  when  I 

mass  sayer.       l  °  . 

have   been   at   my  memento,    1  have  had  a  grudge  in  my 

conscience,    fearing   that   I   had   not   put  in  water  enough1. 

Esay  spake    And  that  which  is  here  spoken  of  wine,  he  meaneth  it  of 

but  he  meant  all  arts  in  the  city,  of  all  kinds  of  faculties ;  for  they  have 

it  of  more.  . 

all  their  medleys  and  minglings.  That  he  speaketh  of  one 
thing,  he  meaneth  generally  of  all.  I  must  tell  you  more 
news  yet. 

I  hear  say  there  is  a  certain  cunning  come  up  in  mixing 
of  wares.      How  say  you?  were  it  no  wonder  to  hear  that 
cioth-makrrs  cloth- makers  should  become  poticaries  ?  Yea,  and  (as  I  hear 
poticaries.     gay)  in  such  a  place,  where  as  they  have  professed  the  gospel 
and  the  word  of  God  most  earnestly  of  a  long  time  ?      See 
how  busy  the  devil  is  to  slander  the  word  of  God.      Thus 
a  pretty  kind  the  poor  gospel  goeth  to  wrack.      If  his  cloth  be  seventeen 
ine-  yards  long,  he  will  set  him  on  a  rack,  and  stretch  him  out 

with  ropes,  and  rack  him  till  the  sinews  shrink  again,  while 
he  hath  brought  him  to  eighteen2  yards.  When  they  have 
brought  him  to  that  perfection,  they  have  a  pretty  feat  to 
thick  him  again.  He  makes  me  a  powder  for  it,  and  plays 
p^vuer  *ne  poticary  ;  they  call  it  flock-powder ;  they  do  so  incor- 
porate it  to  the  cloth,  that  it  is  wonderful  to  consider : 
truly  a  goodly  invention!  Oh  that  so  goodly  wits  should 
be  so  ill  applied !  They  may  well  deceive  the  people,  but 
they  cannot  deceive  God.  They  were  wont  to  make  beds 
of  flocks3,  and  it  was  a  good  bed  too :  now  they  have 
turned  their  flocks  into  powder,  to  play  the  false  thieves  with 
it.      0  wicked  devil !  what  can  he  not  invent  to  blaspheme 

I1  Alluding  to  the  practice  in  the  church  of  Rome  of  mixing 
water  with  the  sacramental  wine.  The  Salisbury  Missal,  which  bishop 
Latimer  would  use,  enjoins,  with  respect  to  the  mingling  of  water  with 
the  sacramental  wine,  that  "in  omni  casu  si  contingat  dubitari... prop- 
ter mixturam...consulimus  abstinere;  quod  in  hoc  sacramento  nihil 
sub  dubio  est  agendum.''] 

[2  Eighteen  yards.. .to  twenty-seven,  1549,  1562,  1571.] 
[3  Several  acts  of  parliament  were  passed  to  correct  the  frauds  to 
wbich  the  preacher  alludes ;  e.  g.  6  Hen.  VIII.  c.  9 :  27  Hen.  VIII. 
C.  12:3  and  4  Edw.  VI.  c.  2.] 


IX.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  139 

God's  word?     These  mixtures  come  of  covetousness.     They 

are  plain  theft.      Wo  worth  that  these  flocks  should  so  slan-  These  mix- 

-1  Hires  and 

der  the  word  of  God !     As  he  said  to  the  Jews,  "  Thy  wine  £^&ing8 
is  mingled  with  water,"  so  might  he  have  said  to  us  of  this 
land,  "  Thy  cloth  is  mingled  with  flock-powder."     He  goeth 
yet  on. 

This  seditious  man  reproveth  this  honourable  city,  and 
saith,   Principes   tut  infideles ;   "  Thou  land   of   Jerusalem, 
thy  magistrates,  thy  judges  are  mifaitliful :"  they  keep  no 
touch,  they  will  talk  of  many  gay  things,  they  will  pretend 
this  and  that,  but  they  keep  no  promise.     They  be  worse 
than    unfaithful.     He   was    not    afraid    to    call  the   officers 
unfaithful,    et   socii  furum ;   and   "fellows   of  thieves:"   for  ^y. rauem 
thieves  and  thieves'  fellows  be  all  of  one  sort.     They  were  "ndieuows 
wont  to  say,  "Ask  my  fellow  if  I  be  a  thief."     He  calleth  of  thieves- 
princes  thieves.      What !  princes  thieves  ?     What  a  seditious 
harlot  was  this !     Was  he  worthy  to  live  in  a  commonwealth 
that   would    call  princes   on   this  wise,   fellows   of  thieves  ? 
Had  they  a   standing   at   Shooters-hill,    or   Standgate-hole4, 
to   take  a  purse  ?    Why  ?    Did  they  stand  by  the   high- 
way side?     Did  they  rob,  or  break  open  any  man's  house 
or  door  ?     No,  no  ;  that  is  a  gross  kind  of  thieving.      They 
were  princes:  they  had  a  prince-like  kind  of  thieving,  Omnes  There  are  two 
diliqunt   munera:    "they  all    love    bribes."      Bribery  is   a  t'li(;vins- 

«7  v  <J  Bribery  is  a 

princely   kind    of  thieving.     They   will  be   waged  by   the  X^\tv\lg. 

rich,    either   to  give  sentence  against  the   poor,    or   to  put 

oft7   the    poor    man's    causes.      This    is    the    noble    theft    of 

princes  and  of  magistrates.     They  are  bribe-takers.     Now-a- 

days  they  call  them  gentle  rewards :   let  them  leave  their  Bribes  have 

colouring,    and   call   them   by  their  christian  name,   bribes :  name!"' 

Omnes  diligunt  munera.      "  All  the  princes,  all  the  judges, 

all  the  priests,  all  the  rulers,  are  bribers."     What?     Were 

all   the  magistrates  in  Jerusalem   all  bribe-takers?     None 

good?     No  doubt  there  were  some  good.     This  word  omnes 

signifieth  the  most  part ;  and  so  there  be  some  good,  I  doubt 

not  of  it,  in  England.      But  yet  wo  be  far  worse  than  those  we  are  worse 

°  "  in  pi  than  the  stiff- 

stiff-necked    Jews.     For    we   read    01    none    of    them    that  necked  Jews. 
winced  nor  kicked  against  Esay's  preaching,  or  said  that  he 
was  a  seditious  fellow.      It  behoveth  the  magistrates  to  be 
in  credit,    and  therefore   it  might  seem  that  Esay  was  to 
[4  These  well-known  localities  were  formerly  noted  for  robberies.] 


140  THIRD    SERMON    PREACHED   BEFORE  [sER.M. 

blame  to  speak  openly  against  the  magistrates.      It  is  very 

sure  that  they  that  be   good  will  bear,  and  not   spurn  at 

the  preachers :  they  that  be  faulty  they  must  amend,  and 

soitfareth    neither  spurn,  nor  wince,  nor  whine.      He  that  findeth  him- 

horee.    e(     self  touched  or  galled,  he  declareth  himself  not  to  be  upright. 

Wo   worth    these    gifts !    they   subvert  justice   everywhere. 

Sequuntur  retributiones :   "they  follow  bribes."     Somewhat 

was  given  to  them  before,  and  they  must  needs  give  some- 

oiffe-gaffe     what  again :   for  Giff e-gaffe  was  a  good  fellow ;    this  Giffe- 

feifow?        gaffe  led  them  clean  from  justice.      "  They  follow  gifts." 

A  good  fellow  on  a  time  bade  another  of  his  friends  to 
a  breakfast,  and  said,  "  If  you  will  come,  you  shall  be  wel- 
come ;  but  I  tell  you  aforehand,  you  shall  have  but  slender 
fare:  one  dish,  and  that  is  all."      "What  is  that,"  said  he? 
a  good  feiiow  "A  pudding,  and  nothing  else."  "Marry,"  said  he,  "you  can- 
breakfastto   not  please  me  better;  of  all  meats,  that  is  for  mine  own  tooth; 
you  may  draw  me  round  about  the  town  with  a  pudding." 
They  follow   These    bribing    magistrates    and  judges    follow   gifts  faster 
aTthe  leiiow  than  the  fellow  would  follow  the  pudding. 

did  the  pud-  ...,,,..  •  i       -n 

ding.  I  am  content  to  bear  the  title  ot   sedition  with  Lsay  : 

thanks  be  to  God,  I  am  not  alone,  I  am  in  no  singularity. 
This  same  man  that  laid  sedition  thus  to  my  charge  was 
asked  another  time,  whether  he  were  at  the  sermon  at  Paul's 
cross :  he  answered  that  he  was  there :  and  being  asked 
a  gentleman  what  news  there;  "Marry,"  quoth  he,  "wonderful  news;  we 
that  he  and    were  there  clean  absolved,  my  mule  and  all  had  full  absolu- 

his  mule  had      .  ,  .  - 

fuiiabsoiu-    tion."    Ye  may  see  by  this,  that  he  was  such  a  one  as  rode 

tion  at  Paul  s  J  J 

cross.  on  a  mule,  and  that  he  was  a  gentleman.     Indeed  his  mule 

was  wiser  than  he ;  for  I  dare  say  the  mule  never  slandered 

the  preacher.      0  what  an  unhappy  chance  had  tins  mule, 

to  carry  such  an  ass  upon  his  back!     I  was  there  at  the 

sermon  myself:  in  the  end  of  Ins  sermon  he  gave  a  general 

absolution,  and,  as  far  as  I  remember,  these  or  such  other 

like  words1,  but  at  the  least  I  am  sure  this  was  his  meaning : 

The  "  As  many  as  do  acknowledge  yourselves  to  be  sinners,  and 

words'in  ws   confess  the  same,  and  stand  not  in  defence  of  it,  and  heartily 

absolution.    ^^3^  it?  and  ^  J3Ciieve  m  tiie  death  of  Christ,  and  be 

conformable  thereunto,  Ego  absolvo  vos,"  quoth  he.      Now, 
saith  this  gentleman,  Ins  mule  was  absolved.      The  preacher 

[l  other  like  were  his  words,  1549.] 


IX.  j  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  141 

absolved  but  such  as  were  sorry  and  did  repent.     Belike 

then  she  did  repent  her  stumbling ;  his  mule  was  wiser  than 

he  a  great  deal.     I  speak  not  of  worldly  wisdom,  for  therein 

he  is  too  wise ;  yea,  he  is  so  wise,  that  wise  men  marvel  The  misre- 

how  he  came  truly  by  the  tenth  part  of  that  he  hath :  but  £atime°  is ' 

•  .  ,  j-,    •       •  7  7       •      worldly-wise, 

in  wisdom  which  consisteth  m  rebus  Dei,  in  rebus  salutis,  butingodiy 

.  .  .     matters  as 

in  godly  matters,   and  appertaining  to  our  salvation,  m  this  {^f5  a 

wisdom    he    is    as    blind    as   a  beetle2 :    tanquam  equus  et 

mulus,   in  quibus    non    est   intellectus ;     "like   horses   and 

mules,  that  have  no  understanding."     If  it  were  true  that 

the  mule  repented  her  of  her  stumbling,  I  think  she  was 

better  absolved  than  he.      I  pray   God  stop  his  mouth,   or  a  charitable 
i  •  iii  i'ii  wish- 

else  to  open  it  to  speak  better,  and  more  to  his  glory  I 

Another  man,  quickened  with  a  word  I  spake,  as  he  said,  Tender  and 

.  .  .  .,  ,  ,.  ,  dainty  eared 

opprobriously  against  the  nobility,  that  their  children  did  not  ™en.  ^^hese 

her  com- 

:  twenty 

Its  than 

hear  of  one. 

men's  children  had  set  forth  God's  word,  howbeit  the  poor 

men's  sons  have  done  it  always  for  the  most  part.     Johan-  J°hn  Aiasco. 

nes  Alasco3  was  here,  a  great  learned  man,  and,  as  they  say, 

a  nobleman  in  his  country,  and  is  gone  his  way  again :  if  it 

be  for  lack  of  entertainment,  the  more  pity.     I  would  wish  » is  honour- 

'  i      <>  able  for  the 

such  men  as  he  to  be  in  the  realm ;  for  the  realm  should  {^f^Jf 
prosper  in  receiving  of  them :   Qui  vos  recipit  me  recipit,  \eZnedthe 
"Who   receiveth   you,   receiveth  me,"   saith  Christ;    and  it 
should  be  for  the  king's  honour  to  receive  them  and  keep 
them.     I  heard  say  Master  Melancthon4,  that  great  clerk, 
should  come  hither.      I  would  wish  him,  and  such  as  he  is, 
to  have  two  hundred  pound  a  year :  the  king  should  never 
want  it  in  his  coffers  at  the  year's  end.     There  is  yet  among 
us    two    great  learned  men,   Petrus  Martyr5   and  Barnard  Petrus  Mar- 
Ochin6,    which  have  a  hundred  marks  apiece:  I  would  the  in  ochine. 
kmg  would  bestow  a  thousand  pound  on  that  sort. 

[2  beetle;  they  be  Tanquam,  1549.] 

[3  An  account  of  this  eminent  person  may  be  seen  in  Strype's 
"  Memorials  of  Cranmer,"  Book  n.  ch.  22.  pp.  335,  &c.  Rymer,  Fcedera, 
Vol.  xv.  pp.  238,  242.] 

[4  See  Strype,  Mem.  of  Cranmer,  Book  in.  ch.  24.  pp.  582,  et  seq.] 

[5  See  Strype,  Mem.  of  Cranmer,  Book  in.  ch.  26.  pp.  593,  &c. , 
Rymer,  Foedera,  Vol.  xv.  pp.  170,  248.] 

[6  "  Bernardyne,"    1549:     the   name  by  which   Ochin  is  always 


142  THIRD    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

Now  I  will  to  my  place  again.  In  the  latter  end  of  my 
sermon,  I  exhorted  judges  to  hear  the  small  as  well  as  the 
great ;  Juste  quod  justum  est  judicare,  "  You  must  not  only 
do  justice,  but  do  it  justly:"  you  must  observe  all  circum- 
stances :  you  must  give  justice,  and  minister  just  judgment 
in  time ;  for  the  delaying  of  matters  of  the  poor  folk  is  as 
sinful  before  the  face  of  God  as  Avrong  judgment. 
The  parable  I  rehearsed  here  a  parable  of  a  wicked  judge,  which  for 

of  a  wicked      ,  *  o 

judge.  importunity's  sake  heard  the  poor  woman's  cause,  &c. 

Here  is  a  comfortable  place  for  all  you  that  cry  out,  and 
are  oppressed  :  for  you  have  not  a  wicked  judge,  but  a 
merciful  judge  to  call  unto.  I  am  not  now  so  full  of  foolish 
pity,  but  I  can  consider  well  enough  that  some  of  you  com- 
plain without  a  cause.  They  weep,  they  wail,  they  mourn, 
I  am  sure  some  not  without  a  cause :  I  did  not  here  reprove 
all  judges,  and  find  fault  with  all.      I  think  we  have  some  as 

some  as       painful  magistrates  as  ever  was  in  En<rland;  but  I  will  not 

painful  ma-     i  o  o 

S^TandM  swear  they  be  all  so  :  and  they  that  be  not  of  the  best,  must 
ever  was.  \)q  content  to  be  taught,  and  not  disdain  to  be  reprehended. 
David  'saith,  Erudimini  qui  judicatis  terram :  I  refer  it 
to  your  conscience,  vos  qui  judicatis  terram,  "ye  that  be 
a  good  lesson  judges  on  the  earth,"  whether  ye  have  heard  poor  men's 
,m  i,t:,gis-     causes  with  expedition  or  no.      If  ye  have  not,  then  erudimini, 

trates,  but  -1  . 

none  of  the  be  content  to  be  touched,  to  be  told.  You  widows,  you  or- 
phans, you  poor  people,  here  is  a  comfortable  place  for  you. 
Though  these  judges  of  the  world  will  not  hear  you,  there  is 
one  will  be  content  with  your  importunity;  he  will  remedy 
you,  if  you  come  after  a  right  sort  unto  him.  Ye  say,  the 
judge  doth  blame  you  for  your  importunity,  it  is  irksome  unto 
him.  He  entered  into  this  parable  to  teach  you  to  be  im- 
portune in  your  petition ;  non  defatigari,  "  not  to  be 
weary."      Here  he   teacheth   you  how  to    come   to   God   in 

how  and  by  adversity,  and  by  what  means,  which  is  by  prayer.      I  do 

what  means  J  «  ,  .    "     x        d 

r^ort'toGod  no^  sPea^  °f  the  merit  of  Christ;  for  he  saith,  Ego  sum  via, 

m  adversity.  «  j  am  ^e  way  .»     qu£  credit  in  me,  habet  vitam  aitemam, 

"  Whoso  belie veth  in  me  hath  everlasting  life."      But  when 

we  are  come  to  Christ,  what  is  our  way  to  remedy  adversity, 

mentioned  in  the  "  Zurich  Letters,"  PP-  22,  26,  40,  &c.  See 
Strype,  Mem.  of  Cranmer,  Book  n.  ch.  13,  p.  279;  B.  in.  eh. 
23,  p.  574.] 


IX.]  KING    EDWAKD    THE    SIXTH.  143 

in  anguish,  in  tribulations,  in  our  necessities,  in  our  injuries  ? 
The  way  is  prayer.  We  are  taught  by  the  commandment 
of  God,  Invoca  me  in  die  tribulationis,  et  ego  eripiam  te. 
Thou  widow,  thou  orphan,  thou  fatherless  child,  I  speak 
to  thee,  that  hast  no  friends  to  help  thee :  "  call  upon  me 
in  the  day  of  thy  tribulation,  call  upon  me ;  Ego  eripiam 
te,  I  will  pluck  thee  away,  I  will  deliver  thee,  I  will  take 
thee  away,  I  will  relieve  thee,  thou  shalt  have  thy  heart's 
desire." 

Here  is  the  promise,  here  is  the  comfort :   Glorificabis 
me,   "  Thou  shalt  glorify  me ;    thank  me,  accept  me  for  the 
author  of  it,  and  thank  not  this  creature  or  that  for  it."    Here 
is  the  judge  of  all  judges ;  come  unto  me,  and  he  will  hear 
you :    for  he  saith,    Quicquid  petieritis  Patrem  in  nomine 
meo,  &c,  "  Whatsoever  ye  ask  my  Father  in  my  name,  shall 
be  given  you  through  my  merits."      "You  miserable  people,  The  order  of 
that  are  wronged  in  the  world,  ask  of  my  Father  in  your  ami  asking. 
distresses ;  but  put  me  afore,  look  you  come  not  with  brags 
of  your  own  merits,   but   come   in   my  name,   and   by  my 
merit."      He  hath  not  the  property  of  this  stout  judge;  he 
will  bear  your  importunateness,  he  will  not  be  angry  at  your 
crying  and  calling.     The  prophet  saith,   Speraverunt  in  te 
patres  nostri,  et  exaudivisti  illos;  "  Thou  God,  thou  God, 
our  fathers  did  cry  unto  thee,  and  thou  heardest  them.     Art 
not  thou  our  God  as  well  as  theirs  ?"  There  is  nothing  more  what  God 
pleasant  to  God  than  for  to  put  him  in  remembrance  of  his  of  us,  and 
goodness  shewed  unto  our  forefathers.      It  is  a  pleasant  thing  deiighteth. 
to  tell  God  of  the  benefits  that  he  hath  done  before  our  time. 
Go  to  Moses,  who  had  the  guiding  of  God's  people ;  see  how  Moses  used 
he  used  prayer  as  an  instrument  to  be  delivered  out  of  ad- 
versity, when  he  had  great  rough  mountains  on  every  side  of 
him,   and  before  him  the  Red  Sea;    Pharao's  host  behind 
him,  peril  of  death  round  about  him.  What  did  he  ?  despaired 
he?  No.    Whither  went  he?   He  repaired  to  God  with  his 
prayer,    and   said   nothing :    yet    with    a   great   ardency  of 
spirit  he  pierced   God's  ear :    "  Now  help,  or  never,  good 
Lord;  no  help  but  in  thy  hand,"  quoth  he.    Though  he  never 
moved  his  lips,  yet  the  scripture  saith  he  cried  out,  and  the 
Lord  heard  him,  and  said,    Quid  clamas   ad  me  ?    "  Why  Exod#  xiv 
criest  thou  out  so  loud?"    The  people  heard  him  say  nothing, 


prayer  as  an 

instrument 
in  adversity. 


144  THIRD    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

and  yet  God  said,  "Why  criest  thou  out?"  Straightways 
he  struck  the  water  with  his  rod,  and  divided  it,  and  it 
stood  up  like  two  walls  on  either  side,  between  the  which 
God's  people  passed,  and  the  persecutors  were  drowned. 
(Exod.  xiv.) 
josuewas  Josue  was  in  anguish  and  like  distress  at  Jericho,  that 

MdXtress,   true  captain,  that  faithful  iudo'C  :  no  follower  of  retributions, 

and  prayed.  l  *»        o  .... 

no  bribe-taker,  he  was  no  money-man:  who  made  his  petition 
to  Almighty  God  to  shew  him  the  cause  of  his  wrath  toward 
him,  when  his  army  was  plagued  after  the  taking  of  Jericho. 
So  he  obtained  his  prayer,  and  learned  that  for  one  man's 
ForAcnans  fault  all  the  rest  were  punished.     For  Achan's  covetousness 
many°asness  many  a  thousand  were  in  agony  and  fear  of  death,  who  hid 
i.unisiK-'i.      his  money,  as  he  thought,  from  God.     But  God  saw  it  well 
enough,   and  brought   it   to  light.      This  Achan  was  a  by- 
walker.      Well :  it  came  to  pass,  when  Josua  knew  it,  straight- 
ways  he  purged  the  army,  and  took  away  malum,  de  Israel, 
josue  put      that  is,  wickedness  from  the  people.      For  Josua  called  him 
before  the  people,  and  said,  Da  gloriam  Deo,  "  Give  praise 
to  God;  tell  truth,  man  :"  and  forthwith  he  told  it :  and  then 
he  and  all  Iris  house  suffered  death.     A  goodly  ensample  for 
all  magistrates  to  follow.      Here  was  the  execution  of  a  true 
judge  :  he  was  no  gift-taker,  he  was  no  winker,  he  was  no 
by-walker.      Also  when  the  Assyrians  with   an  innumerable 
power  of  men  hi  Joshaphat's  time  overflowed  the  land  of 
Israel,    Joshaphat,    that    good    king,   goeth   me   straight   to 
God,  and  made  his  prayer :  Non  est  in  nostra  fortitudine 
schron.  xx.  (said  he)  hide  populo  resist  ere ;  "  It  is  not  in  our  strength,  O 
Lord,    to   resist  this  people.''1       And   after   his   prayer  God 
delivered  him,    and  at  the   same  time  ten  thousand   were 
destroyed.      So,  ye  miserable  people,    you  must  go  to  God 
in  anguishes,  and  make  your  prayer  to  him. 
ManybEgin  Arm  yourselves  with  prayer  in  your  adversities.      Many 

fewP^eyrsebvere  begin  to  pray,  and '  suddenly  cast  away  prayer ;  the  devil 
fn prTy"™"6  putteth  such  phantasies  in  their  heads,  as  though  God  would 
not  intend  them,  or  had  somewhat  else  to  do.  But  you  must 
be  importune,  and  not  weary,  nor  cast  away  prayer :  nay, 
sin" ' -mTthen  Jou  mn&^  cast  away  sin ;  God  will  hear  your  prayer,  albeit 
Anotabie  you  be  sinners.  I  send  you  to  a  judge  that  will  be  glad 
hTmwhieh     to    near"   you-      You   that   are   oppressed,    I   speak   to    you. 

prayeth. 


Achan  to 
death. 
Josh,  vii. 


IX.J  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  145 

Christ  in  this  parable  doth  paint  the  good-will  of  God  toward 
you,  0  miserable  people !  He  that  is  not  received,  let  him 
not  despair,  nor  think  that  God  hath  forsaken  him :  for  God 
tarrieth  till  he  seeth  a  time,  and  better  can  do  all  things  for 
us,  than  we  ourselves  can  wish. 

"  There  was  a  wicked  judge,"   &c.      What  meaneth   it 
that  God  borroweth  this  parable  rather  of  a  wicked  judge, 
than  of  a  good  ?  Belike  good  judges  were  rare  at  that  time : 
and  trow  ye  the  devil  hath  been  asleep  ever  since  ?    No,  no  : 
he  is  as  busy  as  ever  he  was.     The  common  manner  of  a  The  common 
wicked  judge  is,  neither  to  fear  God  nor  man.      He  consider-  wickedjudge. 
eth  what  a  man  he  is,  and  therefore  he  careth  not  for  man, 
because  of  his  pride.      He  looketh  high  over  the  poor ;    he 
will  be  had  in  admiration,  in  adoration.      He  seemeth  to  be 
in  a  protection.     Well,  shall  he  escape  ?    No,  no.     Est  Deus 
in   ccelo,    "  There  is  a  God   in   heaven :"    he   accepteth   no 
persons,    he  will  punish  them.      There  was   a   poor  woman 
came  to  this  judge,  and  said,    Vindica  me  de  adversario, 
"  See  that  mine  adversary  do  me  no  wrong."     He  would  not 
hear  her,  but  drove  her  off.      She  had  no  money  to  wage 
either   him,    either   them   that  were   about  him.      Did  this  whether 
woman  well  to  be  avenged  of  her  adversary  ?    May  christian  peopieamay 
people  seek  vengeance  ?    The  Lord  saith,  Mihi  vindictam  et  avenged. 
ego  retribuam ;    "  When    ye   revenge,    ye   take   mine   office 
upon  you."      This  is  to  be  understood  of  private  vengeance. 
It  is  lawful  for  God's  flock  to  use  means  to  put  away  wrongs ; 
to  resort  to  judges,    to  require  to  have  sentence   given   of 
right.       St  Paul  sent   to  Lysias   the  tribune,    to   have   this  Acts  xxii. 
ordinary  remedy :  and  Christ  also  said,  Si  male  locutus  sum, 
&c,  "If  I  have  spoken  evil,  rebuke  me."      Christ  here  an- John xviii. 
swered  for  himself.      Note  here,  my  lords  and  masters,  what 
case  poor  widows  and  orphans  be  in.      I  will  tell  you,  my 
lords  judges,  if  ye  consider  this  matter  well,  ye  should  be 
more  afraid  of  the  poor  widow,  than  of  a  nobleman,  with  all 
the  friends  and  power  that  he  can  make. 

But  now-a-days  the  judges  be  afraid  to  hear  a  poor  man  The  manner 
against  the  rich;  insomuch  they  will  either  pronoimce  against  now^^C* 
hhn,  or  so  drive  off  the  poor  man's  suit,  that  he  shall  not  be  the  poor 

x  t  against  the 

able  to  go  through  with  it.      The  greatest  man  in  a  realm  rith- 
cannot  so  hurt  a  judge  as  a  poor  widow ;  such  a  shrewd  turn 
she  can  do  him.     And  with  what  armour,  I  pray  you  ?    She 

[LATIMER. J 


146  THIRD    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

can  bring  the  judge's  skin  over  his  ears,  and  never  lay  hands 

upon  him.      And  how  is  that?     Lacrymce  miserorum  de- 

HowGod      scendunt  ad  maxillas,  "The  tears  of  the  poor  fall  down  upon 

.wi'rrSiu    their  cheeks,"  et  ascendunt  ad  coelum,  "and  go  up  to  heaven," 

!i'i't  u'.'iow0    and  crv  for  vengeance  before  God,  the  judge  of  widows,  the 

and  the  poor.  J  .  ,     .  &  ,  ,  t»  1       1  l 

father  ot   widows  and  orphans.      Poor  people  be  oppressed 

even   by  laws.      Vce  its  qui  condunt  leges  iniquas!    "Wo 

worth  to  them  that  make  evil  laws  against  the  poor!  What 

shall  be  to  them  that  hinder  and  mar  good  laws1?"    Quid 

facietis  in  die  ultionis?  "What  will  ye  do  in  the  day  of  great 

vengeance,  when  God  shall  visit  you?"      He  saith,  he  will 

hear  the  tears  of  poor  women  when  he  goeth  on  visitation. 

For  their  sake  he  will  hurt  the  judge,  be  he  never  so  high. 

Deus  transfert  regno,.     He  will  for  widows'  sakes  change 

realms,  bring  them  into  temptation,  pluck  the  judges'  skins 

over  their  heads. 

cambyses.  Cambyses    was   a   great  emperor,   such   another   as   our 

master    is :     he    had    many   lords-deputies,    lords-presidents, 

and  lieutenants  under  hiai.      It  is  a  great  while  ago  since 

I  read  the  history2.      It  chanced  he  had  under  him  in  one 

of  his  dominions  a  briber,    a  gift-taker,   a  gratifier  of  rich 

men ;    he   followed   gifts   as   fast   as   he   that    followed    the 

pudding ;    a   hand-maker   in   his  office,    to   make   his   son   a 

a  saying  i     great  man;  as  the  old  saying  is,  "Happy  is  the  child  whose 

true  than      father   goeth  to   the    devil."      The   cry  of  the  poor  widow 

The  bribing    came   to   the   emperor's   ear,   and   caused   him    to    flay   the 

ffay^ed quick,  judge  quick,    and   laid   his  skin   in   his   chair  of  judgment, 

that  all  judges  that  should  give  judgment  afterward  should 

sit   in    the    same   skin.       Surely    it    was   a    goodly  sign,    a 

goodly  monument,   the   sign   of   the  judge's   skin.     I   pray 

God  we  may  once  see  the  sign  of  the  skin  in  England ! 

Ye  will  say,  peradventure,  that  this  is  cruelly  and  un- 
charitably spoken.  No,  no ;  I  do  it  charitably,  for  a  love  I 
bear  my  country.  God  saith,  Ego  visitabo,  "  I  will  visit." 
God  hath  two  God  hath  two  visitations :  the  first  is,  when  he  revealeth  his 
word  by  preachers;  and  where  the  first  is  accepted,  the  second 
cometh  not.  The  second  visitation  is  vengeance.  He  went  a 
visitation,  when  he  brought  the  judge's  skin  over  his  ears. 

[i  Wo  worth  to  them  that  make  evil  laws !     If  woe  be  to  them  that 
make  laws  against  the  poor,  what  shall  be  to  them  &c.  1549.] 
[2  Valerius  Maximus,  vi.  3.] 


IX.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  147 

If  his  word  be  despised,  he  cometh  with  his  second  visitation, 
with  vengeance. 

Noe  preached  God's  word   a  hundred   years,   and  was  Noe 
laughed  to  scorn,  and   called  an  old  doting  fool.      Because  go.Vs  word 

,  °  .   .  an  hundred 

they  would  not  accept  this  first  visitation,  God  visited  them  you*, 
the  second  time ;  he  poured  down  showers  of  rain,  till  all  the 
world  was  drowned.      Loth  was  a  visitor  of  Sodome  and  Go-  Gen.  xix. 
morre ;    but  because  they  regarded  not  his  preaching,  God 
visited  them  the  second  time,  and  burnt  them  all  up  with 
brimstone,   saving  Loth.      Moses  came  first  a  visitation  into  Exod.  vn. 
Egypt  with  God's  word,  and  because  they  would  not  hear 
him,  God  visited  them  again,  and  drowned  them  in  the  Red 
sea.      God  likewise  with  his  first  visitation  visited  the  Israel- 
ites by  his  prophets ;  but  because  they  would  not  hear  his 
prophets,    he   visited  them   the   second   time,    and    dispersed 
them  in  Assyria  and  Babylon.     John  Baptist  likewise,  and 
our  Saviour  Christ,  visited  them  afterward,  declaring  to  them 
God's  will;  and  because  they  despised  these  visitors,  he  de- 
stroyed Hierusalem  by  Titus  and  Vespasianus.    Germany  was 
visited   twenty   years   with   God's   word,   but   they   did   not 
earnestly  embrace  it,  and  in  life  follow  it,  but  made  a  mingle- 
mangle  and  a  hotch-potch  of  it — I  cannot  tell  what,  partly 
popery,  partly  true  religion,  mingled  together.      They  say  in  covetousness 
my  country,  when  they  call  their  hogs  to  the  swine-trough,  ^eurraof 
'Come  to  thy  mingle-mangle,  come  pur,  come  pur:'  even  so  religion. 
they  made  mingle-mangle  of  it.     They  could  clatter  and  prate 
of  the  gospel ;  but  when  all  cometh  to  all,  they  joined  popery 
so  with  it  that  they  marred  all  together:  they  scratched  and 
scraped  all  the  livings  of  the  church,  and  under  a  colour  of 
religion  turned  it  to  their  own  proper  gain  and  lucre.     God, 
seeing  that  they  would  not  come  unto  his  word,  now  he  visit- 
eth  them  in  the  second  time  of  his  visitation,  with  his  wrath  : 
for  the  taking  away  of  God's  word  is  a  manifest  token  of  his 
wrath3. 

We  have  now  a  first  visitation  in  England ;  let  us  beware  God's  adver- 
of  the  second.      We  have  the  ministration  of  his  word ;  we 

[3  Latimer  seems  here  to  have  had  in  view  the  compromise  between 
the  German  protestants  and  papists,  which  it  was  the  object  of  the  In- 
terim to  effect;  and  which  was  followed  by  great  sufferings  on  the 
part  of  the  protestants.  Sleidan,  Hist,  of  the  Reformation,  translated 
by  Bohnn,  pp.  454,  &c] 

10—? 


148  THIRD    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

are  yet  well :  but  the  house  is  not  clean  swept  yet.  God 
hath  sent  us  a  noble  king  in  tins  his  visitation ;  let  us  not 
provoke  him  against  us.  Let  us  beware ;  let  us  not  displease 
him ;  let  us  not  be  unthankful  and  unkind ;  let  us  beware  of 
by-walking  and  contemning  of  God's  word ;  let  us  pray  dili- 
gently for  our  king ;  let  us  receive  with  all  obedience  and 
prayer  the  word  of  God. 

A  word  or  two  more,  and  I  commit  you  to  God.  I  will 
monish  you  of  a  thing.  I  hear  say  ye  walk  inordinately,  ye 
talk  unseemly,  otherwise  than  it  becometh  christian  subjects  : 
ye  take  upon  you  to  judge  the  judgments  of  judges.  I  will 
not  make  the  king  a  pope ;  for  the  pope  will  have  all  things 
that  he  doth  taken  for  an  article  of  our  faith.  I  will  not 
say  but  that  the  king  and  his  council  may  err ;  the  parlia- 
ment houses,  both  the  high  and  low,  may  err ;  I  pray  daily 
our  duty      that  they  may  not  err.      It  becometh  us,    whatsoever  thev 

towards  the  </  «/  ^  ^  *i 

king  and  his  decree,  to  stand  unto  it,    and  receive  it  obedientlv,    as   far 

laws.  «/  ' 

forth  as  it  is  not  manifest  wicked,  and  directly  against  the 
word  of  God.  It  pertaineth  unto  us  to  think  the  best, 
though  we  cannot  render  a  cause  for  the  doing  of  every 
thing ;  for  caritas  omnia  credit,  omnia  sperat,  "  Charity 
doth  believe  and  trust  all  things."  We  ought  to  expound 
to  the  best  all  things,  although  we  cannot  yield  a  reason. 

Therefore  I  exhort  you,  good  people,  pronounce  in  good 
part  all  the  facts  and  deeds  of  the  magistrates  and  judges. 
Charity  judgeth  the  best  of  all  men,  and  specially  of  magis- 
trates. St  Paul  saith,  Nolite  judicare  ante  tempus  donee 
Dominus  advenerit,  "Judge  not  before  the  time  of  the 
Lord's  coming."  Pravum  cor  hominis,  "Man's  heart  is  un- 
searchable ;"  it  is  a  ragged  piece  of  work ;  no  man  knoweth 
his  own  heart ;  and  therefore  David  prayeth,  and  saith,  Ab 
psai.  xix.  occultis  rneis  inenda  me,  "  Deliver  me  from  my  unknown 
faults :"  I  am  a  further  offender  than  I  can  see.  A  man 
shall  be  blinded  in  love  of  himself,  and  cannot  see  so  much  in 
himself  as  in  other  men.  Let  us  not  therefore  judge  judges. 
We  are  accountable  to  God,  and  so  be  they  :  let  them  alone, 
they  have  their  accounts  to  make.  If  we  have  charity  in  us, 
we  shall  do  this ;  for  caritas  operatur,  "  Charity  worketh." 
What  worketh  it?  Marry,  omnia  credere,  omnia  sperare, 
"  to  accept  all  things  in  good  part."  Nolite  judicare  ante 
tempus,  '•  Judge  not  before  the  Lord's  coming."      In  this  we 


IX.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  149 

learn  to  know  antichrist,  which  doth  elevate  himself  in  the  How  anti- 
church,  and  judgeth  at  his  pleasure  before  the  time.     His  known! 
canonizations,  and  judging  of  men  before  the  Lord's  judgment, 
be  a  manifest  token  of  antichrist.     How  can  he  know  saints  ? 
He  knoweth  not  his  own  heart.     And  he  cannot  know  them 
by  miracles,  for  some  miracle-workers  shall  go  to  the  devil. 

I  will  tell  you  what  I  remembered  yesternight  in  my 
bed ;  a  marvellous  tale  to  perceive  how  inscrutable  a  man's 
heart  is.  I  was  once  at  Oxford,  (for  I  had  occasion  to  come  what  he  saw 
that  way,  when  I  was  in  my  office;)  they  told  me  it  was  a 
gainer1  way,  and  a  fairer  way  ;  and  by  that  occasion  I  lay 
there  a  night.  Being  there,  I  heard  of  an  execution  that  was 
done  upon  one  that  suffered  for  treason:  it  was,  as  ye  know, 
a  dangerous  world,  for  it  might  soon  cost  a  man  his  life  for  a 
word  speaking.  I  cannot  tell  what  the  matter  was,  but  the 
judge  set  it  so  out  that  the  man  was  condemned :  the  twelve 
men  came  in  and  said,  "Guilty;"  and  upon  that  he  was  judged 
to  be  hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered.  When  the  rope  was 
about  his  neck,  no  man  could  persuade  him  that  he  was  in 
any  fault ;  and  stood  there  a  great  while  in  the  protestation 
of  his  innocency:  they  hanged  him,  and  cut  him  down  some- 
what too  soon,  afore  he  was  clean  dead ;  then  they  drew  him 
to  the  tire,  and  he  revived ;  and  then  he  coming  to  his  re- 
membrance, confessed  his  fault,  and  said  he  was  guilty.     Oh,  Note  this,  ya 

,_  tit  hi  'in  wicked,  ami 

a  wonderful  example !     It  may  well   be  said,  Fravum  cor  confess  your 
hominis  et  inscrutabile,    "  A  crabbed  piece   of  work,  and 
unsearchable." 

I  will  leave  here,  for  I  think  you  know  what  1  mean 
well  enough.  I  shall  not  need  to  apply  this  example  any 
further.  As  I  began  ever  with  tins  saying,  Qucecunque 
scripta  sunt,  like  a  truant,  so  I  have  a  common-place  to  the 
end,  if  my  memory  fail  not,  Beati  qui  audiunt  verbum  Dei, 
et  custodiunt  illud,  "  Blessed  be  they  that  hear  the  word  of 
God,  and  keep  it."  It  must  be  kept  in  memory,  in  living,  and 
in  our  conversation :  and  if  we  so  do,  we  shall  come  to  the 
blessedness  which  God  prepared  for  us  through  his  son  Jesus 
Christ ;  to  the  which  may  he  bring  us  all.  Amen, 
[l  gainer:   more  ready.] 


150  FOURTH    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 


THE  FOURTH  SERMON  PREACHED  BEFORE 
KING   EDWARD,    MARCH  29th.  [1549.] 


[ROMANS  XV.  4.J 

Qucecunque  scripta  sunt,  ad  nostram  doctrinam,  6$c. 
All  things  that  are  written,  are  written  to  be  our  doctrine. 

Lukexviii.  The  parable  that  I  took  to  begin  with,  most  honourable 

audience,  is  written  in  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  St  Luke ; 
and  there  is  a  certain  remnant  of  it  behind  yet.  The  parable 
is  this :  "  There  was  a  certain  judge  in  a  city  that  feared 
neither  God  nor  man.  And  in  the  same  city  there  was  a 
widow  that  required  justice  at  his  hands ;  but  he  would  not 
hear  her,  but  put  her  off,  and  delayed  the  matter.  In  pro- 
cess, the  judge,  seeing  her  importunity,  said,  '  Though  I  fear 
neither  God  nor  man,  yet  for  the  importunity  of  the  woman 
I  will  hear  her ;  lest  she  rail  upon  me,  and  molest  me  with 
exclamations  and  outcries,  I  will  hear  her  matter,  I  will  make 
an  end  of  it'."  Our  Saviour  Christ  added  more  unto  this, 
and  said,  Audite,  quid  judex  dicat,  &c.  "  Hear  you,"  said 
Christ,  "  what  the  wicked  judge  said.  And  shall  not 
God  revenge  his  elect,  that  cry  upon  him  day  and  night  ? 
Although  he  tarry,  and  defer  them,  I  say  unto  you,  he  will 
revenge  them,  and  that  shortly.  But  when  the  Son  of  man 
shall  come,  shall  he  find  faith  in  the  earth  ? " 

That  I  may  have  grace  so  to  open  the  remnant  of  this 

parable,  that  it  may  be  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  edifying 

of  your   souls,    I   shall    desire   you   to   pray,  in  the  which 

prayer,  &c. 

Why  Christ  I  shewed  you  the  last  day,  most  honourable  audience, 

exampi/ofa  the  cause  why  our  Saviour  Christ  rather  used  the  example  of 

e  Jutge'  a  wicked  judge,  than  of  a  good.      And  the  cause  was,  for 

that  in  those  days  there  was  great  plenty  of  wicked  judges, 

so    that  he    might    borrow   an    example    among    them  well 

enough  :  for  there  was  much  scarcity  of  good  judges.      I  did 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  151 

excuse  the  widow  also  for  coming  to  the  judge  against  her 
adversary,  because  she  did  it  not  of  malice,  she  did  it  not 
for  appetite  of  vengeance.  And  I  told  you  that  it  was  good 
and  lawful  for  honest,  virtuous  folk,  for  God's  people,  to  use 
the  laws  of  the  realm  as  an  ordinary  help  against  their  ad- 
versaries, and  ought  to  take  them  as  God's  holy  ordinances, 
for  the  remedies  of  their  injuries  and  wrongs,  when  they  are 
distressed ;  so  that  they  do  it  charitably,  lovingly,  not  of 
malice,  not  vengeably,  not  covetously. 

I  should  have  told  you  here  of  a  certain  sect  of  heretics1  Hemeanetu 
that  speak  against  this  order  and  doctrine ;  they  will  have  no  for amis  one 
magistrates  nor  judges  on  the  earth.     Here  I  have  to  tell errors- 
you  what  I  heard  of  late,  by  the  relation  of  a  credible  person 
and  a  worshipful  man,  of  a  town  in  this  realm  of  England, 
that  hath  above  five  hundred  heretics  of  this  erroneous  opi- 
nion in  it,  as  he  said.    Oh,  so  busy  the  devil  is  now  to  hinder  how  busy 

.  Tiii  11  the  devil  is  to 

the  word  commg  out,  and  to  slander  the  gospel !  A  sure  ^"rdde^  eod 
argument,  and  an  evident  demonstration,  that  the  light  of 
God's  word  is  abroad,  and  that  this  is  a  true  doctrine  that 
we  are  taught  now  ;  else  he  would  not  roar  and  stir  about  as 
he  doth.  When  that  he  hath2  the  upper  hand,  he  will  keep 
his  possession  quietly,  as  he  did  in  the  popish  days,  when 
he  bare  a  rule  of  supremacy  in  peaceable  possession.  If  he 
reigned  now  in  open  religion,  in  open  doctrine,  as  he  did 
then,  he  would  not  stir  up  erroneous  opinions ;  he  would  have 
kept  us  without  contention,  without  dissension.  There  is  no 
such  diversity  of  opinion  among  the  Turks,  nor  among  the 
Jews.  And  why  ?  For  there  he  reigneth  peaceably  in  the 
whole  religion.  Christ  saith,  Cumfortis  armatus  custodierit 
atrium,  &c.  "  When  the  strong  armed  man  keepeth  his 
house,  those  things  that  he  hath  in  possession  are  in  a  quiet- 
ness, he  doth  enjoy  them  peaceably  :"  sed  cum  fortior  eo 
supervenerit,  "  But  when  a  stronger  than  he  cometh  upon 
him,"  when  the  light  of  God's  word  is  once  revealed,  then  he 
is  busy;  then  he  roars;  then  he  fisks  abroad,  and  stirreth  up 

[l  Popish  emissaries  were  employed,  during  king  Edward's  reign, 
to  preach  the  pernicious  doctrines  of  the  Anabaptists  for  the  purpose 
of  "  obstructing  the  proceedings  of  the  reformers."  Carte,  Hist,  of 
England,  in.  pp.  252,  &c] 

[2  when  he  hath,  1549.] 


152  FOURTH    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

erroneous  opinions  to  slander  God's  word.  And  this  is  an 
argument  that  we  have  the  true  doctrine.  I  beseech  God 
continue  us  and  keep  us  in  it !  The  devil  declareth  the  same, 
and  therefore  he  roars  thus,  and  goeth  about  to  stir  up  these 
wanton  heads  and  busy  brains. 

And  will  you  know  where  this  town  is  ?  I  will  not  tell 
you  directly ;  I  will  put  you  to  muse  a  little ;  I  will  utter 
the  matter  by  circumlocution.  Where  is  it?  Where  the 
bishop  of  the  diocese  is  an  unpreaching  prelate.  Who  is 
that  ?  If  there  be  but  one  such  in  all  England,  it  is  easy  to 
guess :  and  if  there  were  no  more  but  one,  yet  it  were  too 
many  by  one ;  and  if  there  be  more,  they  have  the  more 
to  answer  for,  that  they  suffer  in  this  realm  an  unpreaching 
prelate  unreformed.  I  remember  well  what  St  Paul  saith  to 
a  bishop,  and  though  he  spake  it  to  Timothy,  being  a  bishop, 
yet  I  may  say  it  now  to  the  magistrates ;  for  all  is  one  case, 
i  Tim.  v.  all  is  one  matter  :  Non  communicabis  peccatis  alienis,  "Thou 
shalt  not  be  partaker  of  other  men's  faults."  Lay  not  thy 
hands  rashly  upon  any ;  be  not  hasty  in  making  of  curates,  in 
receiving  men  to  have  cure  of  souls  that  are  not  worthy  of 
the  office,  that  either  camiot  or  will  not  do  their  duty.  Do 
it  not.  Why?  Quia  communicabis  peccatis  alienis  :  "Thou 
shalt  not  be  partaker  of  other  men's  sins."  Now  methink  it 
needs  not  to  be  partaker  of  other  men's  sins ;  we  shall  find 
enough  of  our  own.  And  what  is  communicare  peccatis  ali- 
enis, "to  be  partaker  of  other  men's  evils,"  if  this  be  not, 
to  make  unpreaching  prelates,  and  to  suffer  them  to  continue 
Kings  and  still  in  their  unpreaching  prelacy?  If  the  king  and  his  coun- 
notiookat    cil  should  suffer  evil  judges  of  this  realm  to  take  bribes,  to 

faults  JO 

f!!ir°ugh  their  defeat  justice,  and  suffer  the  great  to  overgo  the  poor,  and 
should  look  through  his  fingers,  and  wink  at  it,  should  not 
the  king  be  partaker  of  their  naughtiness  ?  And  why  ?  Is 
he  not  supreme  head  of  the  church?  What,  is  the  supre- 
macy a  dignity,  and  nothing  else?     Is  it  not  accountable? 

a  dignity      I  think  it  will  be  a  chargeable  dignity  when  account  shall  be 

with  a  it- 

charge.  asked  of  it. 

Oh,  what  advantage  hath  the  devil!  What  entry  hath  the 

wolf  when  the  shepherd  tendeth  not  his  flock,  and  leads  them 

i  Tim  v.       not  to  good  pasture  !      St  Paul  doth  say,  Qui  bene  prazsunt 

Morale  well,  presbyteri  duplici  honore  digni  sunt.     What  is  this  prceesse  ? 

It  is  as  much  to  say,  as  to  take  charge  and  cure  of  souls. 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  153 

We  say,  Ille  prceest,  he  is  set  over  the  flock.  He  hath 
taken  charge  upon  him.  And  what  is  bene  prceesse  ?  To  dis- 
charge the  cure  well l ;  to  rule  well ;  to  feed  the  flock  with 
pure  food  and  good  example  of  life.  Well  then ;  Qui  bene 
ptrcesunt  duplici  honore  digni  sunt,  "  They  that  discharge 
their  cure  well  are  worthy  double  honour."  What  is  this  what  is 
double  honour  ?  The  first  is,  to  be  reverenced,  to  be  had  in  honour. 
estimation  and  reputation  with  the  people,  and  to  be  regarded 
as  good  pastors :  another  honour  is,  to  have  all  things  ne- 
cessary for  their  state  ministered  mito  them.  This  is  the 
double  honour  that  they  ought  to  have,  qui  prcesunt  bene, 
that  discharge  the  cure,  if  they  do  it  bene. 

There  was  a  merry  monk  in  Cambrido-o  in  the  college  The  merry 

J  °  &     monk  of 

that  I  was  in,  and  it  chanced  a  great  company  of  us  to  be  Cambridge, 
together  intending  to  make  good  cheer,  and  to  be  merry;  as 
scholars  will  be  merry  when  they  are  disposed.  One  of  the 
company  brought  out  this  sentence:  Nil  melius  quam  Icetari, 
et  facere  bene;  "  There  is  nothing  better  than  to  be  merry, 
and  to  do  well."  "  A  vengeance  of  that  bene,"  quoth  the 
monk ;  "I  would  that  bene  had  been  banished  beyond  the 
sea  :  and  that  bene  were  out,  it  were  well ;  for  I  could  be 
merry,  and  I  could  do,  but  I  love  not  to  do  well :  that  bene 
mars  all  together.  I  would  bene  were  out,"  quoth  the  merry 
monk ;  "  for  it  importeth  many  tilings,  to  live  well,  to  dis- 
charge the  cure."  Indeed  it  were  better  for  them  if  it  were 
out,  and  it  were  as  good  to  be  out  as  to  be  ordered  as  it  is. 
It  will  be  a  heavy  bene  to  some  of  them,  when  they  shall 
come  to  their  account.  But  peradventure  you  will  say, 
"  What,  and  they  preach  not  all,  yet  prcesunt :  are  they  not 
worthy  double  honour  "?  Is  it  not  an  honourable  order  they  where  the 
be  in?"  Nay,  an  horrible  misorder ;  it  is  an  horror  rather  negiigent.'uie 
than  an  honour,  and  horrible  rather  than  honourable,  if  the  honourable, 

but  horrible. 

preacher  be  naught,  and  do  not  his  duty.  And  thus  go  these 
prelates  about  to  wrestle  for  honour,  that  the  devil  may  take 
his  pleasure  in  slandering  the  realm,  and  that  it  may  be  re- 
ported abroad  that  we  breed  heresies  among  ourselves.  It  is  The  drift  of 
to  be  thought  that  some  of  them  would  have  it  so,  to  bring  prelates. 
in  popery  again.  This  I  fear  me  is  them  intent,  and  it 
shall  be  blown  abroad  to  our  holy  Father  of  Rome's  ears, 
and  he  shall  send  forth  his  thunderbolts  upon  these  bruits : 
[l  discharge  the  cure,  1549,  1562.] 


yriit'iii-i.'. 
Matt.  v. 


154  FOURTH    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

and  all  this  doth  come   to  pass  through  their  unpreaching 
prelacy. 

Are  they  not  worthy  double  honour?  Nay,  rather  double 
dishonour,  not  to  be  regarded,  not  to  be  esteemed  among  the 
people,  and  to  have  no  living  at  their  hands.  For  as  good 
preachers  be  worthy  double  honour,  so  unpreaching  prelates 
be  worthy  double  dishonour.  They  must  be  at  their  doublets. 
But  now  these  two  dishonours,  what  be  they  ?  Our  Saviour 
Christ  doth  shew  :  Si  sal  infatuatus  fuerit,  ad  nihil  ultra 
^fnc^ument valet  nisi ut projiciatur foras ;  "If  the  salt  be  unsavoury,  it 
is  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out,  and  trodden  of  men." 
By  tills  salt  is  understood  preachers,  and  such  as  have  cure 
of  souls.  What  be  they  worthy  then?  Wherefore  serve 
they  ?  For  nothing  else  but  to  be  cast  out.  Make  them 
quondams1.  Out  with  them;  cast  them  out  of  their  office  : 
what  should  they  do  with  cures,  that  will  not  look  them  it  ? 
Another  dishonour  is  this,  Ut  conculcentur  ab  hominibus, 
"To  be  trodden  under  men's  feet;"  not  to  be  regarded,  not 
to  be  esteemed.  They  be  at  their  doublets  still.  St  Paul  in 
his  epistle  qualifieth  a  bishop,  and  saith  that  he  must  be 
aptus  ad  docendum,  ad  refellendum  apte,  "  to  teach,  and  to 
confute  all  manner  of  false  doctrine."  But  what  shall  a  man 
do  with  aptness,  if  he  do  not  use  it  ?  It  were  as  good  for  us 
to  be  without  it. 
a  bishop  A  bishop  came  to  me  the  last  day,  and  was  angry  with 

M.^LatTmeV  me  for  a  certain  sermon  that  I  made  in  this  place.  His  chap- 
lain had  complained  against  me,  because  I  had  spoken  against 
unpreaching  prelates.  "Nay,"  quoth  the  bishop,  "he  made  so 
indifferent  a  sermon  the  first  day,  that  I  thought  he  would 
mar  all  the  second  day  :  he  will  have  every  man  a  quondam, 
as  he  is."  As  for  my  quondamship,  I  thank  God  that  he  gave 
me  the  grace  to  come  by  it  by  so  honest  a  means  as  I  did ; 
I  thank  him  for  mine  own  quondamship :  and  as  for  them, 
I  would  not  have  them  made  quondams,  if  they  discharge 
their  office ;  I  would  have  them  do  their  duty,  I  would  have 
no  more  quondams,  as  God  help  me.  I  owe  them  no  more 
malice2  than  this,  and  that  is  none  at  all. 

This  bishop  answered  his  chaplain:  "WeU,"  says  he,  "well, 
I  did  wisely  to-day ;  for  as  I  was  going  to  his  sermon,  I  re- 

[l  Have-beens:   persons  put  out  of  offices  they  once  held.] 
[2  no  other  malice,  1549,  1571.] 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  155 

membered  me  that  I  had  neither  said  mass  nor  matins,  and 
homeward  I  gat  as  fast  as  I  could ;  and  I  thank  God  I  have 
said  both,  and  let  his  unfruitful  sermon  alone."  "Unfruitful," 
saith  one;  another  saith,  "seditious."  Well,  unfruitful  is  the 
best:  and  whether  it  be  unfruitful  or  no,  I  cannot  tell;  it  lieth 
not  in  me  to  make  it  fruitful :  and  God  work  not  in  your 
hearts,  my  preaching  can  do  you  but  little  good.  I  am 
God's  instrument  but  for  a  time ;    it  is  he  that  must  give  Preachers  are 

.  ...  „  ,  God's  instru- 

the  increase :'  and  yet  preaching  is  necessary  ;  tor  take  away  ments. 
preaching,  and  take  away  salvation.  I  told  you  of  Scala 
cceli,  and  I  made  it  a  preaching  matter,  not  a  massing  matter. 
Christ  is  the  preacher  of  all  preachers,  the  pattern  and  the 
exemplar  that  all  preachers  ought  to  follow.  For  it  was  he 
by  whom  the  Father  of  heaven  said,  Hie  est  Filius  mens 
dilectus,  ipsum  audit e,  "  This  is  my  well-beloved  Son,  hear 
him."  Even  he,  when  he  was  here  on  the  earth,  as  wisely, 
as  learnedly,  as  circumspectly  as  he  preached,  yet  his  seed 
fell  in  three  parts,  so  that  the  fourth  part  only  was  fruitful.  Three  parts 
And  if  he  had  no  better  luck  that  was  preacher  of  all  preach-  doctrine  fen 
ers,  what  shall  we  look  for  ?  Yet  was  there  no  lack  in  him,  ground. 
but  in  the  ground  :  and  so  now  there  is  no  fault  in  preaching  ; 
the  lack  is  in  the  people,  that  have  stony  hearts  and  thorny 
hearts.  I  beseech  God  to  amend  them !  And  as  for  these 
folk  that  speak  against  me,  I  never  look  to  have  their  good 
word  as  long  as  I  live ;  yet  will  I  speak  of  their  wickedness, 
as  long  as  I  shall  be  permitted  to  speak.  As  long  as  I  live,  I 
will  be  an  enemy  to  it.  No  preachers  can  pass  it  over  with 
silence :  it  is  the  original  root  of  all  mischief.  As  for  me, 
I  owe  them  no  other  ill  will,  but  I  pray  God  amend  them, 
when  it  pleaseth  him ! 

Now  to  the  parable.  What  did  the  wicked  judge  in  the 
end  of  the  tale  ?  The  love  of  God  moved  him  not.  The.  law 
of  God  was  this,  and  it  is  writ  in  the  first  of  Deuteronomy, 
Audite  eos,  "  Hear  them."  These  two  words  will  be  heavy 
words  to  wicked  judges  another  day.  But  some  of  them 
peradventure  will  say,  I  will  hear3  such  as  will  give  bribes, 
and  those  that  will  do  me  good  turns.  Nay,  ye  be  hedged 
out  of  that  liberty.  He  saith,  Ita  parvum  ut  magnum, 
"  The  small  as  well  as  great."  Ye  must  do  justum,  deal  Justice  must 
justly,  minister  justice,  and  that  to  all  men ;  and  you  must  speediiy!tered 
[3  I  will  hear  them,  but  I  will  hear,  &c,  1549.] 


156 


l'(H   HTII    SERMON*     l'KEACHED     liElOKK 


Importunity 

moved  the 
wicked  judge 
to  hear  the 
widow. 


Right  judg- 
ment set 
aside,  and 
wickedness 
advanced. 


Judges  were 
wont  to  sit 
in  the  gates 
of  the  city. 


do  it  juste,  in  time  convenient,  without  any  delays  or  driving 
off,  with  expedition.  Well,  I  say,  neither  this  law,  nor  the 
word  and  commandment  of  God  moved  this  wicked  judge, 
nor  the  misery  of  this  widow,  nor  the  uprightness  of  her 
cause,  nor  the  wrong  which  she  took,  moved  him ;  but,  to 
avoid  importunity,  and  clamour,  and  exclamation,  he  gave 
her  the  hearing,  he  gave  her  final  sentence,  and  so  she  had 
her  request. 

This  place  of  judgment,  it  hath  been  ever  unperfect :  it 
was  never  seen  that  all  judges  did  their  duty,  that  they 
would  hear  the  small  as  well  as  the  great.  I  will  not  prove 
this  by  the  witness  of  any  private  magistrate,  but  by  the 
wisest  king's  saying  that  ever  was :  Vicli  sub  sole,  saith 
Salomon,  in  loco  justitice  impietatem,  et  in  loco  cequitatis 
iniquitatem ;  "I  have  seen  under  the  sun,"  that  is  to  say, 
over  all  in  every  place,  where  right  judgment  should  have 
been,  "  wickedness  ;"  as  who  would  say,  bribes-taking,  defeat- 
ing of  justice,  oppressing  of  the  poor  ;  men  sent  away  with 
weeping  tears  without  any  hearing  of  their  causes :  and 
"  in  the  place  of  equity,"  saith  he,  "  I  have  seen  iniquity." 
No  equity,  no  justice ;  a  sore  word  for  Salomon  to  pronounce 
universally,  generally.  And  if  Salomon  said  it,  there  is  a 
matter  in  it.  I  ween  he  said  it  not  only  for  his  own  time, 
but  he  saw  it  both  in  those  that  were  before  him,  and  also 
that  were  to  come  after  him.  Now  comes  Esay,  and  he 
amrmeth  the  same ;  speaking  of  the  judgments  done  in  his 
time  in  the  common  place,  as  it  might  be  in  Westminster- 
hall,  the  Guildhall,  the  Judges-hall,  the  Pretor-house ;  call  it 
what  you  will — in  the  open  place ;  for  judges  at  that  time, 
according  to  the  manner,  sat  in  the  gates  of  the  city,  in  the 
highway  ;  a  good  and  godly  order,  for  to  sit  so  that  the 
poor  people  may  easily  come  to  them.  But  what  saith 
Esay,  that  seditious  fellow  ?  He  saith  of  his  country  tins  : 
Expectavi  ut  facer  et  judicium,  et  fecit  iniquitatem ;  "I 
looked  the  judges  should  do  their  duty,  and  I  saw  them 
work  iniquity."  There  was  bribes-walking,  money-making, 
making  of  hands,  quoth  the  prophet,  or  rather  Almighty  God 
by  the  prophet ;  such  is  their  partiality,  affection,  and  bribes. 
They  be  such  money-makers,  enhancers,  and  promoters  of 
themselves.  Esay  knew  this  by  the  crying  of  the  people. 
JEcce   clamor   popull,    saith   he ;    and    though   some   among 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  157 

them    be    unreasonable    people,    as    many    bo    now- a- days, 

yet   no  doubt  of  it,  some  cried   not  without  a  cause.     And  T,ii|i:<'s  ™<* 

^  t  m  cried  out 

why  ?     Their   matters  are  not   heard,    they  are  fain  to  go  u',on 
home  with  weeping   tears,  that  fall  down  by  their  cheeks, 
and   ascend   up   to   heaven,    and    cry   for    vengeance.      Let 
judges  look  about  them,    for   surely   God   will   revenge   his 
elect  one  day. 

And    surely    methink    if   a    judge   would   follow   but   a  a  good 

"  Jo  advertise- 

worldly  reason,  and  weigh  the  matter  politicly,  without  these  «>enttoour 
examples  of  scripture,  he  should  fear  more  the  hurt  that  may 
be  done  him  by  a  poor  widow,  or  a  miserable  man,  than  by 
the  greatest  gentleman  of  them  all.  God  hath  pulled  the 
judges'  skins  over  their  heads  for  the  poor  man's  sake.  Yea, 
the  poor  widow  may  do  him  more  hurt  with  her  poor  Pater-  The  widow's 
noster  in  her  mouth  than  any  other  weapon ;  and  with  two  weapon" 
or  three  words  she  shall  bring  him  clown  to  the  ground,  and 
destroy  his  jollity,  and  cause  him  to  lose  more  in  one  day 
than  he  gat  in  seven  years.  For  God  will  revenge  these 
miserable  folks  that  cannot  help  themselves.  He  saith,  Ego 
in  die  visitationis,  fyc,  "  In  the  day  of  visitation  I  will  re- 
venge them."  An  non  ulciscetur  anima  mea  ?  "  Shall  not 
my  soul  be  revenged  ?"  As  who  should  say,  "  I  must  needs 
take  their  part."  Veniens  veniam,  et  non  tarddbo ;  "  Yes, 
though  I  tarry,  and  though  I  seem  to  linger  never  so  long, 
yet  I  will  come  at  the  length,  and  that  shortly."  And  if 
God  spake  this,  he  will  perform  his  promise.  He  hath  for 
their  sakes,  as  I  told  you,  pulled  the  skin  over  the  judges' 
ears  ere  this.     King  David  trusted  some  in  his  old  age  that  David  m  his 

,.  ,     ,  .  ■.  .  -»T  .„    .  ,  ,  P  old  age  was 

did  him  no  very  good  service.      JNow,   it  in  the  people   of  derived  by 

God  there  were  some  folks  that  fell  to  bribing,  then  what 

was  there  among  the  heathen  ?     Absolon,  David's  son,  was  Absoion  was 

°  a  by-walker. 

a  by-walker,  and  made  disturbance  among  the  people  in  his 
father's  time ;  and  though  he  were  a  wicked  man,  and  a  by- 
walker,  yet  some  there  were  in  that  time  that  were  good, 
and  walked  uprightly.  I  speak  not  this  against  the  judge's 
seat ;  I  speak  not  as  though  all  judges  were  naught,  and  as 
though  I  did  not  hold  with  the  judges,  magistrates,  and 
officers,  as  the  Anabaptists  these  false  heretics  do.  But  I  honSwe 
judge  them  honourable,  necessary,  and  God's  ordinance.  exeratefteTr 
1  speak    it   as   scripture  speaketh,   to  give  a  caveat  and  a  ° " 


158  FOURTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

warning  to  all  magistrates,  to  cause  them  to  look  to  their 
offices.      For  the  devil,  the  great  magistrate,  is  very  busy- 
now  ;  he  is  ever  doing,  he  never  ceaseth  to  go  about  to  make 
The  craft  of  them  like   himself.      The  proverb  is,  Simile  qaudet  simili, 

the  devil 

"  Like  would  have  like."  If  the  judge  be  good  and  up- 
right, he  will  assay  to  deceive  him,  either  by  the  subtle 
suggestion  of  crafty  lawyers,  or  else  by  false  witness,  and 
subtle  uttering  of  a  wrong  matter.  He  goeth  about  as  much 
as  he  can  to  corrupt  the  men  of  law,  to  make  them  fall  to 
bribery,  to  lay  burdens  on  poor  men's  backs,  and  to  make 
them  fall  to  perjury,  and  to  bring  into  the  place  of  judgment 
all  corruption,  iniquity,  and  impiety. 

I  have  spoken  thus  much,   to    occasion   all  judges  and 

magistrates  to  look  to  their  offices.     They  had  need  to  look 

a  strange      about   them.      This    gear   moved    St   Chrysostom1  to   speak 

saying  of  >  °  «  *■ 

chrysostom.  jj-jjg  sentence  :  Miror  si  aliquis  rectorum  potest  salvari : 
"I  marvel,"  said  this  doctor,  "if  any  of  these  riders  or 
great  magistrates  can  be  saved."  He  spake  it  not  for 
the  impossibility  of  the  thing,  (God  forbid  that  all  the 
magistrates  and  judges  should  be  condemned!)  but  for  the 
difficulty. 

Oh  that  a  man  might  have  the  contemplation  of  hell ; 
that  the  devil  would  allow  a  man  to  look  into  hell,  to  see  the 
state  of  it,   as  he  shewed  all  the  world   when  he   tempted 

Matt.  iv.  Christ  in  the  wilderness !  Commonstrat  Mi  omnia  regna 
mundi,  "  He  shewed  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,1'' 
and  all  their  jollity,  and  told  him  that' he  would  give  him  all, 
if  he  would  kneel  down  and  worship  him.  He  lied  like  a 
false  harlot :  he  could  not  give  them,  he  was  not  able  to  give 
so  much  as  a  goose  wing,  for  they  were  none  of  his  to  give. 
The  other  that  he  promised  them  unto,  had  more  right  to 
them  than  he.     But  I  say,  if  one  were  admitted  to  view  hell 

The  place  of  thus,  and  behold  it  thoroughly,  the  devil  would  say,   "On 

unpreaching  .  .,  .   -       -i  ■.  .  ,  .,     t  "  1  •     i 

pr,.,ttsand  yonder  side  are  punished  unpreaching  prelates:     1  think  a 

judges.         man  should  see  as  far  as  a  kenning s,  and  see  nothing  but 

unpreaching  prelates.      He   might  look   as  far  as   Calais,   I 

warrant  you.      And  then  if  he  would  go  on  the  other  side, 

and  shew  where  that  bribing  judges  were,  I  think  he  should 

[!  See  above,  p.  98.] 

[2  A  distance  as  far  as  the  eye  can  distinguish.] 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  159 

see  so  many,  that  there  were  scant  room  for  any  other. 
Our  Lord  God  amend  it3! 

"Well,  to  our  matter.  This  judge  I  speak  of  said, 
"  Though  I  fear  neither  God,  nor  man,"  &c.  And  did  lie 
think  thus  ?  Is  it  the  manner  of  wicked  judges  to  confess 
their  faults  ?  Nay,  he  thought  not  so  :  and  had  a  man  come 
to  him,  and  called  him  wicked,  he  would  forthwith  have  com- 
manded him  to  ward,  he  would  have  defended  himself  stoutly. 
It  was  God  that  spake  in  his  conscience.  God  putteth  him  why  wicked 
to  utter  such  things  as  he  saw  in  his  heart,  and  were  hid  to  l^LTr'"" 

.  .  faults. 

himself.  And  there  he  like  things  in  the  scripture,  as,  Dixit 
insipiens  in  corde  suo,  Non  est  Deus ;  "The  unwise  man 
said  in  his  heart,  There  is  no  God  :"  and  yet,  if  he  should 
have  been  asked  the  question,  he  would  have  denied  it. 

Esay  the  prophet  saith  also,  Mendacio  protecti  sumus ; 
"  We  are  defended  with  lies ;  we  have  put  our  trust  in  lies." 
And  in  another  place  he  saith,  Ambulabo  in  pravitate  cordis 
mei ;  "  I  will  walk  in  the  wickedness  of  my  heart."  He 
uttereth  what  lieth  in  his  heart,  not  known  to  himself, 
but  to  God.      It  was  not  for  nought  that  Jeremy  describeth  Jeremy  xvtt. 

.  _,  °  7  describeth 

man's  heart  in  his  colours :  Pravum  cor  hominis  et  inscruta-  the  heart 

of  man. 

bile ;  "  The  heart  of  man  is  naughty,  a  crooked  and  frow- 
ard  piece  of  work."  Let  every  man  humble  himself,  and 
acknowledge  his  fault,  and  do  as  St  Paul  did.  When  the 
people  to  whom  he  had  preached  had  said  many  things  in 
his  commendation,    yet   he  durst  not   justify  himself:    Paul  Paul  would 

.  ,,,  ,.  .         .„         .  not  justify 

would  not  praise  hnnself,  to  his  own  justification ;  and  there-  himself, 
fore,  when  they  had  spoken  those  things  by  him,  "  I  pass 
not  at  all,"  saith  he,  "what  ye  say  by  me,  I  will  not  stand 
to  your  report."  And  yet  he  was  not  so  froward,  that 
when  he  heard  the  truth  reported  of  him,  he  would  say 
it  to  be  false ;  but  he  said,  "  I  will  neither  stand  to  your 
report,  though  it  be  good  and  just,  neither  yet  I  will  say 
that  it  is  untrue."  He  was  bonus  pastor,  a  good  shepherd : 
he  was  one  of  them  qui  bene  prcesunt,  that  discharged 
his  cure ;  and  yet  he  thought  that  there  might  be  a  far- 
ther thing  in  himself  than  he  saw  in  himself ;  and  therefore 
he  said,  "  The  Lord  shall  judge  me :  I  will  stand  only  to 
the  judgment  of  the  Lord."     For  look,    whom  he  judges 

[3  Our  Lord  amend  it,  1549,  1562.] 


160  FOURTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

to  be  good,  he  is  sure ;  he  is  safe ;  he  is  cock-sure.  I  spake 
of  this  gear  the  last  day,  and  of  some  I  had  little  thank 

The  truth  for  my  labour.  I  smelled  some  folks  that  were  grieved 
with  me  for  it,  because  I  spake  against  temerarious  judg- 
ment. "  What  hath  he  to  do  with  judgment  ?"  say  they. 
I  went  about  to  keep  you  from  arrogant  judgment.  [Well ; 
I  could  have  said  more  than  I  did,  and  I  can  say  much 
more  now.  For  why  ?  I  know  more  of  my  lord-admiral's 
death  since  that  time,  than  I  did  know  before.  "  Oh," 
say  they,  "the  man  died  very  boldly;  he  would  not  have 
done  so,  had  he  not  been  in  a  just  quarrel1."]  This  is 
no  good  argument,  my  friends :  A  man  seemeth  not  to  fear 
death,  therefore  his  cause  is  good.  Tins  is  a  deceivable 
argument :   He  went  to  his  death  boldly,  ergo,  he  standeth 

Anabaptists,  in  a  just  quarrel.  The  Anabaptists  that  were  burnt  here 
in  divers  towns  in  England  (as  I  heard  of  credible  men,  I 
saw  them  not  myself,)  went  to  their  death  even  intrepide, 
as  ye  will  say,  without  any  fear  in  the  world,  cheerfully. 
Well,   let  them   go.      There   was  in  the    old   doctors'  times 

Donatists.  another  kind  of  poisoned  heretics,  that  were  called  Dona- 
tists2 ;  and  these  heretics  went  to  their  execution,  as  though 
they  should  have  gone  to  some  jolly  recreation  or  banquet, 
to  some  belly-cheer,  or  to  a  play.  And  will  ye  argue 
then,  He  goeth  to  his  death  boldly  or  cheerfully,  ergo,  he 
dieth  in  a  just  cause?  Nay,  that  sequel  followeth  no 
more  than  this :  A  man  seems  to  be  afraid  of  death,  ergo, 
he  dieth  evil.  And  yet  our  Saviour  Christ  was  afraid  of 
death  himself. 

judge  not  I  warn  you  therefore,  and  charo-e  you  not  to  iudo-e  them 

such  as  are  •  o      «/  JO 

in  authority,  that  be  in  authority,  but  to  pray  for  them.  It  becometh  us 
not  to  judge  great  magistrates,  nor  to  condemn  their  doings, 
unless  their  deeds  be  openly  and  apparently  wicked.     Charity 

charity  j  udg- requireth  the  same:  for  charity  iudgeth  no  man,  but  well  of 

eth  well  of  X  '  ,        ,  ,  ,         ■ 

an  men.  everybody.  And  thus  we  may  try  whether  we  have  charity 
or   no ;    and   if    we'  have    not    charity,    we   are   not    God's 

\}  Inserted  from  the  edition  of  1549.] 

[2  A  sect  which  arose  during  the  fourth  century  out  of  a  dispute 
respecting  the  election  and  consecration  of  a  bishop  to  the  see 
of  Carthage.  The  Donatists  regarded  their  sect  as  being  the  only 
true  Church,  and  taught  and  acted  accordingly.  Mosheim,  Institutes 
of  Eccl.  History,  Vol.  i.  pp.  376,  &c.  edited  by  Soames.] 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  161 

disciples,  for  they  are  known  by  that  badge.  He  that 
is  his  disciple,  hath  the  work  of  charity  in  his  breast.  It 
is  a  worthy  saying  of  a  clerk3,  Caritas  si  est  operator; 
si  non  operator,  non  est :  "  If  there  be  charity,  it  worketh 
omnia  credere,  omnia  sperare,  to  believe  all  things,  to  hope 
all ;"  to  say  the  best  of  the  magistrates,  and  not  to  stand  to 
the  defending  of  a  wicked  matter. 

I  will  go  further  with  you  now.     4  [If  I  should  have  said  m.  Latimer 
all  that  I  knew,  your  ears  would  have  irked  to  have  heard  he  knew  con- 

"  .  ceming  the 

it,   and   now    God   hath  brought   more   to   light.       And   as  L°rd  A(imi- 

~  ~  ral  s  cause. 

touching  the  kind  of  his  death,  whether  he  be  saved  or  no, 
I  refer  that  to  God  only.  What  God  can  do,  I  can  tell. 
I  will  not  deny,  but  that  he  may  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye 
save  a  man,  and  turn  his  heart.  What  he  did,  I  cannot  tell. 
And  when  a  man  hath  two  strokes  with  an  axe,  who  can 
tell  but  that  between  two  strokes  he  doth  repent?  It  is 
very  hard  to  judge.  Well,  I  will  not  go  so  nigh  to  work ; 
but  this  I  will  say,  if  they  ask  me  what  I  think  of  his  death, 
that  he  died  very  dangerously,  irksomely,  horribly5.  The 
man  being  in  the  Tower  wrote  certain  papers  which  I  saw  The  two 
mvself.     There  were  two  little  ones,  one  to  my  lady  Mary's  whierfthT8 

"  t  i     i         -nT       i        i  ,  ,.  Lord  Admi- 

grace,    and  another   to  my  lady  Elizabeth  s  grace,    tending  »i  wrote  in 
to    this    end,    that    they   should   conspire   against    my   lord 
Protector's  grace :   surely,  so  seditiously  as  could  be.     Now 
what  a  kind  of  death  was  this,  that  when  he  was  ready  to 

[3  Gregoiy  1st.  Nunquam  est  Dei  amor  otiosus.  Operatur  ete- 
nim  magna  si  est :  si  vero  operari  renuit,  amor  non  est.  Homil.  xxx. 
in  Evangel.  Opera,  Tom.  n.  col.  410,  Paris.  1586.] 

[4  Inserted  from  the  edition  of  1549.] 

[5  "Dr  Lingard  has  animadverted  in  strong  terms  upon  Latimer  for 
having  not  only  arraigned  the  life,  hut  the  death  of  the  Lord  Admiral ; 
and  yet  no  one  who  has  read  the  depositions  in  Haynes,  or  who  has 
even  examined  the  same  evidence  as  it  is  abridged  in  the  general 
historians  of  the  times,  will  deny  that  the  life  of  Lord  Seymour  of 
Sudley  was  that  of  a  fierce,  ambitious,  proud  and  revengeful  man: 
and  if  the  story  told  by  Latimer  be  true, — that  his  last  hours  were 
employed  in  a  device  to  sow  jealousies  between  the  princesses  Mary 
and  Elizabeth,  and  the  Protector,  that  he  wrote  letters  for  that  pur- 
pose, which  letters  Latimer  saw, — it  proves  that  he  laid  his  head  upon 
the  block  in  the  same  violent,  unforgiving,  and  vindictive  spirit  in 
which  he  lived.  Was  it  too  much  to  call  such  a  death  dangerous, 
irksome,  horrible?  I  think  not,"  Tytler,  England  under  the  reigns 
of  Edw.  VI.  and  Mary,  Vol.  I.  p.  152.] 

[LATIMER.] 


162  FOURTH     SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

lay  his  head  upon  the  block,  he  turns  me  to  the  Lieutenant's 
The  words  he  servant,  and  saith,  "Bid  my  servant  speed  the  thing  that 
Lieutenants  he  wots  of  ?"     Well,  the  word  was  overheard.     His  servant 

servant.  . 

confessed  these  two  papers,  and  they  were  tound  in  a  shoe 
of  his :  they  were  sewed  between  the  soles  of  a  velvet  shoe. 
He  made  his  ink  so  craftily  and  with  such  workmanship,  as 
the  like  hath  not  been  seen.  I  was  prisoner  in  the  Tower 
myself,  and  I  could  never  invent  to  make  ink  so.  It  is  a 
wonder  to  hear  of  his  subtilty.  He  made  his  pen  of  the 
The  pen  of  aglet  of  a  point,  that  he  plucked  from  his  hose,  and  thus 
a  point.  wrote  these  letters  so  seditiously,  as  ye  have  heard,  enforcing 
many  matters  against  my  lord  Protector's  grace,  and  so 
forth.  God  had  left  him  to  himself,  he  had  clean  forsaken 
him.  What  would  he  have  done,  if  he  had  lived  still,  that 
went  about  this  gear,  when  he  laid  his  head  on  the  block, 
at  the  end  of  his  life  ?  Charity,  they  say,  worketh  but  godly, 
and  not  after  this  sort.  Well ;  he  is  gone,  he  knoweth  his 
fate  by  this,  he  is  either  in  joy  or  in  pain.  There  is  but  two 
There  are  but  states,  if  we  be  once  gone.     There  is  no  change.     This  is 

two  states,  .   °  .  .,..,. 

the  state  of    the  speech  ot  the  scripture:   Ubicunnue  liqnum  ceculerit,  ibi 

salvation  and         ...  .  .  __„ 

^mift?  nf  er^>  s*ve  *w  austrum,  sive  in  aquilonem  :  "  Wheresoever  the 
tree  falleth,  either  into  the  south,  or  into  the  north,  there  it 
shall  rest."  By  the  falling  of  the  tree  is  signified  the  death  of 
man :  if  he  fall  into  the  south,  he  shall  be  saved ;  for  the 
south  is  hot,  and  betokeneth  charity  or  salvation :  if  he 
fall  in  the  north,  in  the  cold  of  infidelity,  he  shall  be  damned. 
There  are  but  two  states,  the  state  of  salvation  and  the  state 
of  damnation.  There  is  no  repentance  after  this  life,  but  if 
he  die  in  the  state  of  damnation,  he  shall  rise  in  the  same : 
yea,  though  he  have  a  whole  monkery  to  sing  for  him,  he 
shall  have  his  final  sentence  when  he  dieth.     And  that  ser- 

The  servant    vant  of  his   that  confessed  and  uttered  this   gear   was   an 

which  uttered  ...  ~      ,  .        .        ,  . 

the  secrets  of  honest   man.      He  did  honestly  m   it.      Uod   put  it   in   Ins 

the  two  let-  J  L 

ters  is  corn.-    heart.     And  as  for  the  other,  whether  he  be  saved,  or  no,  I 

mended  of 

m.  Latimer.  }eave  ft  t0  Qq&,  But  surely  he  was  a  wicked  man :  the 
realm  is  well  rid  of  him :  it  hath  a  treasure  that  he  is  gone. 
He  knoweth  his  fare  by  this.  A  terrible  example,  surely, 
and  to  be  noted  of  every  man.     Now  before  he  should  die, 


The  Lord      I  heard  say,  he  had  commendations  to  the  king,  and  spake 

Admiral  had  "  ' 

commenda- 
tions of  the 


many  words  of  his  majesty.     All  is,  '  The  King,  the  King.' 
hisiebaetfh.re    Yea,  bona  verba.     These  were  fair  words,   '  The  King,  the 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  ]  63 

King.']  I  was  travailed  in  the  Tower  myself,  (with  the  king's 
commandment  and  the  council,)  and  there  was  Sir  Robert  sir  Robert 
Constable,  the  lord  Hussey,  the  lord  Darcy1 :  and  theg^iord' 
lord  Darcy  was  telling  me  of  the  faithful  service  that  he lor(1  Hussey. 
had  done  the  king's  majesty  that  dead  is.  "  And  I  had  seen 
my  sovereign  lord  in  the  field,"  said  he,  "  and  I  had  seen  his 
grace  come  against  us,  I  would  have  lighted  from  my  horse, 
and  taken  my  sword  by  the  point,  and  yielded  it  into  his 
grace's  hands."  "  Marry,"  quoth  I,  "  but  in  the  mean  season 
ye  played  not  the  part  of  a  faithful  subject,  in  holding  with 
the  people  in  a  commotion  and  a  disturbance."  It  hath  been 
the  cast  of  all  traitors  to  pretend  nothing  against  the  king's 
person ;  they  never  pretend  the  matter  to  the  long,  but  to 
other.  Subjects  may  not  resist  any  magistrates,  nor  ought 
to  do  nothing  contrary  to  the  king's  laws;  and  therefore 
these  words,  "  The  King,"  and  so  forth,  are  of  small  effect. 

1  heard  once  a  tale  of  a  thing;  that  was  done  at  Oxford  Execution  at 

.  Oxford. 

twenty  years  ago,  and  the  like  hath  been  since  in  this  realm, 
as  I  was  informed  of  credible  persons,  and  some  of  them  that 
saw  it  be  alive  yet.  There  was  a  priest  that  was  robbed  of 
a  great  sum  of  money,  and  there  were  two  or  three  attached 
for  the  same  robbery;  and,  to  be  brief,  were  condemned,  and 
brought  to  the  place  of  execution.  The  first  man,  when  he 
was  upon  the  ladder,  denied  the  matter  utterly,  and  took  his 
death  upon  it,  that  he  never  consented  to  the  robbery  of  the 
priest,  nor  never  knew  of  it.  When  he  was  dead,  the  second 
fellow  cometh,  and  maketh  his  protestation,  and  acknowledged 
the  fault;  saying,  that  among  other  grievous  offences  that 
he  had  done,  he  was  accessary  to  this  robbery :  and,  saith 
he,  "  I  had  my  part  of  it,  I  cry  God  mercy :  so  had  this 
fellow  that  died  before  me  his  part."  Now  who  can  judge 
whether  this  fellow  died  well  or  no?  Who  can  judge  a  man's  Juj^e not 
heart  ?  The  one  denied  the  matter,  and  the  other  confessed 
it :  there  is  no  judging  of  such  matters. 

2  [I  have  heard  much   wickedness   of  this  man,   and   I 

[l  The  persons  with  whom  the  preacher  states  that  he  "  was  tra- 
vailed," or  employed  to  confer,  were  sent  to  the  Tower  in  1537  for 
attempting  a  fresh  rebellion,  and  were  all  executed  in  the  course  of 
the  same  year.     Carte,  Hist,  of  Engl.  in.  p.  142.] 

[2  Inserted  from  the  editions  1549,  1562.  The  Lord  Admiral  is 
the  person  alluded  to.] 

11—2 


164 


FOURTH    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE 


A  good 
motion  to 
comfort 
condemned 
persons. 


thought  oft,  Jesu,  what  will  worth,  what  will  be  the  end  of 

this  man?]    When  I  was  with  the  bishop  of  Chichester1  in 

ward,  (I  was  not  so  with  him  but  my  friends  might  come  to 

Divers         me   an(j  talk  with  me.)  I  was  desirous  to  hear  of  execution 

executions.  '  '  . 

done,  as  there  was  every  week  some,  in  one  place  of  the  city 
or  other ;  for  there  was  three  weeks'  sessions  at  Newgate, 
and  fortnight  sessions  at  the  Marshalsea,  and  so  forth :  I  was 
desirous,  I  say,  to  hear  of  execution,  because  I  looked  that 
my  part  should  have  been  therein.  I  looked  every  day 
a  desperate   to  be  called  to  it  myself.     Among  all  other,  I  heard  of  a 

harlot.  iit  *        i  -it 

wanton  woman,  a  naughty  liver.  A  whore,  a  vain  body,  was 
led  from  Newgate  to  the  place  of  execution  for  a  certain 
robbery  that  she  had  committed,  and  she  had  a  wicked  com- 
munication by  the  way.  Here  I  will  take  occasion  to  move 
your  grace,  that  such  men  as  shall  be  put  to  death  may 
have  learned  men  to  give  them  instruction  and  exhortation. 
For  the  reverence  of  God,  when  they  be  put  to  execution, 
let  them  have  instructors ;  for  many  of  them  are  cast  away 
for  lack  of  instruction,  and  die  miserably  for  lack  of  good 
preaching.  Tins  woman,  I  say,  as  she  went  by  the  way, 
had  wanton  and  foolish  talk,  as  this:  "that  if  good  fellows  had 
kept  touch2  with  her,  she  had  not  been  at  this  time  in  that 
case."  3[And  amongst  all  other  talk  she  said  that  such  an 
one  (and  named  this  man)  had  first  misled  her4:  and,  hearing- 
tins  of  him  at  that  time,  I  looked  ever  what  would  be  his 
end,  what  would  become  of  him.  He  was  a  man  the  farthest 
from  the  fear  of  God  that  ever  I  knew  or  heard  of  in  Eng- 
land. First,  he  was  the  author  of  all  tins  woman's  whoredom ; 
for  if  he  had  not  led  her  wrong4,  she  might  have  been  married 
and  become  an  honest  woman,  whereas  now  being  naught 
with  him,  she  fell  afterwards  by  that  occasion  to  other :  and 
they  that  were  naught  with  her  fell  to  robbery,  and  she  fol- 
lowed ;  and  thus  was  he  the  author  of  all  this.     This  gear 


[i  Dr  Sampson.  By  a  letter  from  Sir  R.  Sadler  to  the  earl  of 
Essex  it  appears,  that  Latimer  was  still  "with  the  bishop  of  Chichester 
in  ward"  at  the  time  when  that  prelate  was  committed  to  the  Tower 
"for  relieving  certain  traitorous  persons."  State  Papers,  Hen.  VIII. 
Vol.  i.  p.  627.] 

[2  Stood  to  their  word.] 

[3  Inserted  from  the  edition  of  1549.] 

[■*  Varied  from  the  original.] 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  165 

came  by  sequel.  Peradventure  this  may  seem  to  be  a  light 
matter,  but  surely  it  is  a  great  matter ;  and  he  by  unrepent- 
ance  fell  from  evil  to  worse,  and  from  worse  to  worst  of  all, 
till  at  the  length  he  was  made  a  spectacle  to  all  the  world. 
I  have  heard  say  he  was  of  the  opinion  that  he  believed 
not  the  immortality  of  the  soul ;  that  he  was  not  right  in 
this  matter :  and  it  might  well  appear  by  the  taking  of 
his  death.  But  ye  will  say,  "  What !  ye  slander  ;  ye  break 
charity."  Nay,  it  is  charity  that  I  do.  We  can  have  no 
better  use  of  him  now  than  to  warn  other  to  beware  of 
him.]  Christ  saith,  Memores  estote  uxoris  Loth ;  "  Remem- 
ber Loth's  wife."  She  was  a  woman  that  would  not  be  con- 
tent with  her  good  state,  but  wrestled  with  God's  calling, 
and  she  was  for  that  cause  turned  into  a  salt  stone ;  and 
therefore  the  scripture  doth  name  her  as  an  example  for  us 
to  take  heed  by.  Ye  shall  see  also  in  the  second  chapter,  [2  pet.  a.] 
how  that  God  Almighty  spared  not  a  number  of  his  angels, 
which  had  siimed  against  him,  to  make  them  examples  to  us 
to  beware  by.  He  drowned  the  whole  world  in  the  time  of 
Noah,  and  destroyed  for  sin  the  cities  of  Sodom  and  Go- 
mor.  And  why  ?  Fecit  eos  exemplum  iis  qui  impii  forent 
acturi ;  "He  made  them  an  example  to  them  that  would 
do  wickedly  in  time  to  come."  If  God  would  not  spare 
them,  think  ye  he  will  favour  us  ? 

I  will  go  on  a  word  or  two  in  the  application  of  the 
parable,  and  then  I  will  make  an  end.  To  what  end  and 
to  what  purpose  brought  Christ  this  parable  of  the  wicked 
judge?    The  end  is,  that  we  should  be  continually  in  prayer,  inaiiour 

I'll  WT  j.   troublesa 

Prayer  is  never  interrupted  but  by  wickedness.  We  must  adv. 
therefore  walk  orderly,  uprightly,  calling  upon  God  in  all  Jvjgag,^ 
our  troubles  and  adversities ;  and  for  this  purpose  there  is  °0°n1/nnuir,ryay 
not  a  more  comfortable  lesson  in  all  the  scripture,  than  here 
now  in  the  lapping  up  of  the  matter.  Therefore  I  will  open 
it  unto  you.  You  miserable  people,  if  there  be  any  here 
amongst  you,  that  are  oppressed  with  great  men,  and  can 
get  no  help,  I  speak  for  your  comfort ;  I  will  open  unto  you 
whither  ye  shall  resort,  when  ye  be  in  any  distress.  His 
good-will  is  ready,  always  at  hand,  whensoever  we  shall  call 
for  it;  and  therefore  he  calls  us  to  himself.  We  shall  not 
doubt  if  we  come  to  him.    Mark  what  he  saith,  to  cause  us 


troubles  and 
ersities  we 
must  resort 


God  will  for 
his  promise 
hear  our 

prayers  and 


166  FOURTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

that  we  believe1  that  our  prayers  shall  be  heard:  et  Deus  non 

faciei  vindictam  ?    He  reasons  after  this  fashion  :  "  Will  not 

God,"  saith  he,  "  revenge  his  elect,  and  hear  them;"  seeing  the 

wicked  judge  heard  the  widow  ?     He  seemeth  to  go  plainly 

to  work  :  he  willeth  us  to  pray  to  God,  and  to  none  but  to 

God.     We  have  a  maimer  of  reasoning  in  the  schools,  and  it 

is  called,  a  minore  ad  majits,  "  from  the  less  to  the  more," 

and  that  may  be  used  here.     The  judge  was  a  tyrant,  a 

wicked  man.      God  is  a  patron,  a  defender,  father  unto  us. 

If  the  judge  then,  being  a  tyrant,  would  hear  the  poor  widow, 

much  more  God  will  hear  us  in  all  distresses:  he  being  a 

grant  our      father  unto  us,  he  will  hear  us,  sooner  than  the  other,  being- 
petition,  if  '  '  '         p 

faith!ki"  no  father,  having  no  fatherly  affection.  Moreover,  God  is 
naturally  merciful.  The  judge  was  cruel,  and  yet  he  helped 
the  widow  ;  much  more  then  will  God  help  us  at  our  need. 
He  saith  by  the  oppressed,  Cum  ipso  sum  in  tribidatione, 
"  I  am  with  him  in  his  trouble :"  his  tribulation  is  mine ;  I 
am  touched  with  his  trouble.  If  the  judge  then,  being  a 
cruel  man,  heard  the  widow ;  much  more  God  will  help  us, 
being  touched  with  our  affliction. 

Furthermore,  this  judge  gave  the  widow  no  command- 
ment to  come  to  him :  we  have  a  commandment  to  resort  to 

God  wiiieth    God ;  for  he  saith,   Invoca  me  in  die  tribidationis,   "  Call 

us  to  call  •  '  _  ' 

upon  him.  upon  me  in  the  day  of  thy  tribulations :"  which  is  as  well 
a  commandment  as,  Non  furaberis,  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal." 
He  that  spake  the  one  spake  the  other ;  and  whatsoever  he 
be  that  is  in  trouble,  and  calleth  not  upon  God,  breaketh  his 
commandment.  Take  heed  therefore  :  the  judge  did  not  pro- 
mise the  widow  help ;  God  promiseth  us  help,  and  will  he 
not  perform  it?  He  will,  he  will.  The  judge,  I  say,  did 
not  promise  the  widow  help ;  God  will  give  us  both  hearing 
and  helping.  He  hath  promised  it  us  with  a  double  oath : 
Amen,  Amen,  saith  he,  "Verily,  verily,"  (he  doubles  it,) 
Qucecunque  petieritis,  ![C.,  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my 
name,  ye  shall  have  it."  And  though  he  put  off  some  sinner 
for  a  time,  and  suffer  him  to  bite  on  the  bridle  to  prove  him, 
(for  there  be  many  beginners,  but  few  continuers  in  prayer,) 
yet  we  may  not  think  that  he  hath  forgotten  us,  and  will  not 
help  us :  Veniens  veniet,  non  tardabit,  "  When  the  help  is 
[l  Cause  us  believe,  1562,  1571.] 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  16*7 

most  needful,  then  he  will  come,  and  not  tarry."  He  know- 
eth  when  it  shall  be  best  for  us  to  have  help:  though  he 
tarry,  he  will  come  at  the  last. 

I  will  trouble  you  but  half  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  the 
application  of  the  parable,  and  so  commit  you  to  God. 

What  should  it  mean,  that  God  would  have  us  so  diligent 
and  earnest  in  prayer?  Hath  he  such  pleasure  in  our  works  ? 
Many  talk  of  prayer,  and  make  it  a  lip-labouring.  Praying 
is  not  babbling;  nor  praying  is  not  monkery.  It  is,  to 
miserable  folk  that  are  oppressed,  a  comfort,  solace  and  a 
remedy.  But  what  maketh  our  prayer  to  be  acceptable 
to  God?  It  lieth  not  in  our  power;  we  must  have  it  by 
another  mean.  Remember  what  God  said  of  his  Son :  Hie 
est  Filius  meus  dilectus,  in  quo  mihi  bene  complacui;  "This 
is  my  dear  Son,  in  whom  I  delight."  He  hath  pleasure  in 
nothing  but  in  him.  How  cometh  it  to  pass  that  our  prayer 
pleaseth  God  ?  Our  prayer  pleaseth  God,  because  Christ  ^raP™y£s 
pleaseth  God.  When  we  pray,  we  come  unto  him  in  the  ^ecws 
confidence  of  Christ's  merits,  and  thus  offering  up  our sake- 
prayers,  they  shall  be  heard  for  Christ's  sake.  Yea,  Christ 
will  offer  them  up  for  us,  that  offered  up  once  his  sacrifice  to 
God,  winch  was  acceptable ;  and  he  that  cometh  with  any 
other  mean  than  this,  God  knoweth  him  not. 

This  is  not  the  missal  sacrifice,  the  popish  sacrifice,  to 
stand  at  the  altar,  and  offer  up  Christ  again.  Out  upon  it 
that  ever  it  was  used !  I  will  not  say  nay,  but  that  ye  shall 
find  in  the  old  doctors  this  word  sacrificium;  but  there  is 
one  general  solution  for  all  the  doctors  that  St  Augustine  one  solution 
sheweth  us :  "  The  sign  of  a  thing  hath  oftentimes  the 
name  of  the  thing  that  it  signifieth2."  As  the  supper  of  the 
Lord  is  the  sacrament  of  another  thing,  it  is  a  commemora- 
tion of  his  death,  which  suffered  once  for  us ;  and  because 
it  is  a  sign  of  Christ's  offering  up,  therefore  he  bears3  the 
name  thereof.  And  this  sacrifice  a  woman  can  offer  as  well 
as  a  man;  yea,  a  poor  woman  in  the  belfry  hath  as  good 
authority  to  offer  up  this  sacrifice,  as  hath  the  bishop  in  his 

[2  Solet  autem  res  quse  significat,  ejus  rei  nomine  quam  significat 
nuncupari ;  sicut  scriptum  est,  Septem  spicee  septem  anni  sunt,  &c. 
Qufest.  in  Levit.  lvii.  Oper.  Tom.  in.  p.  1.  col.  385.  Edit.  Bened. 
Antverp.  1700.] 

[3  it  bears,  1549.] 


168 


FOURTH     SERMON     PREACHED     BEFORE 


[sERM. 


Faith  is 
all  together. 


Faith  is  a 
great  state 
and  a 
duchess. 


Knowledge 
of  sin  is 
gentleman- 
usher  to 
lady  Faith. 


jwntificalibus,  with  his  mitre  on  his  head,  his  rings  on  his 
fingers,  and  sandals  on  his  feet.  And  whosoever  cometh 
asking  the  Father  remedy  in  his  necessity  for  Christ's  sake, 
he  offereth  up  as  acceptable  a  sacrifice  as  any  bishop  can  do. 

And  so,  to  make  an  end :  this  must  be  done  with  a 
constant  faith  and  a  sure  confidence  in  Christ.  Faith,  faith, 
faith  ;  we  are  undone  for  lack  of  faith.  Christ  nameth  faith 
here,  faith  is  all  together :  "  When  the  Son  of  man  shall 
come,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the  earth?"  Why  speaketh  he 
so  much  of  faith?  Because  it  is  hard  to  find  a  true  faith. 
He  speaketh  not  of  a  political  faith,  a  faith  set  up  for  a 
time ;  but  a  constant,  a  permanent,  a  durable  faith,  as  durable 
as  God's  word. 

He  came  many  times :  first  in  the  time  of  Noc  when  he 
preached,  but  he  found  little  faith.  He  came  also  when  Lot 
preached,  when  he  destroyed  Sodome  and  Gomora,  but  he 
found  no  faith.  And  to  be  short,  he  shall  come  at  the  latter 
day,  but  he  shall  find  a  little  faith.  And  I  ween  the  day  be 
not  far  off.  When  he  was  here  carnally,  did  he  find  any 
faith  ?  .Many  speak  of  faith,  but  few  there  be  that  hath  it. 
Christ  mourneth  the  lack  of  it :  he  complaineth  that  when 
he  came,  he  found  no  faith. 

This  Faith  is  a  great  state,  a  lady,  a  duchess,  a  great 
woman ;  and  she  hath  ever  a  great  company  and  train  about 
her,  as  a  noble  estate  ought  to  have.  First,  she  hath  a 
gentleman-usher  that  goeth  before  her,  and  where  he  is  not 
there  is  not  lady  Faith.  Tins  gentleman-usher  is  called 
Agnitio  -peccatorum,  knowledge  of  sin ;  when  we  enter  into 
our  heart,  and  acknowledge  our  faults,  and  stand  not  about 
to  defend  them.  He  is  none  of  these  winkers ;  he  kicks  not 
when  he  hears  his  fault.  Now,  as  the  gentleman-usher  goeth 
before  her,  so  she  hath  a  train  that  cometh  behind  her ;  and 
yet,  though  they  come  behind,  they  be  all  of  Faith's  com- 
pany, they  are  all  with  her :  as  Christ,  when  he  counter- 
feited a  state  going  to  Jerusalem,  some  went  before  him,  and 
some  after,  yet  all  were  of  his  company.  So  all  these  wait 
upon  Faith,  she  hath  a  great  train  after  her,  besides  her 
gentleman-usher,  her  whole  household;  and  those  be  the 
works  of  our  vocation,  when  every  man  considcrcth  what 
vocation  he  is  in,  what  calling  he  is  in,  and  doth  the  works 
of  the  same ;  as,  to  be  good  to  his  neighbour,  to  obey  God, 


X.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  169 

&c.  This  is  the  train  that  followeth  lady  Faith :  as  for  an 
example ;  a  faithful  judge  hath  first  an  heavy  reckoning  of 
his  fault,  repenting  himself  of  his  wickedness,  and  then  for- 
sakcth  his  iniquity,  his  impiety,  fcarcth  no  man,  walks  up- 
right ;  and  he  that  doth  not  thus  hath  not  lady  Faith,  but 
rather  a  boldness  of  sin  and  abusing  of  Christ's  passion. 
Lady  Faith  is  never  without  her  gentleman-usher,  nor  with- 
out her  train :  she  is  no  anchoress1,  she  dwells  not  alone,  she  Lady  Faith 

is  no  an- 
IS  never  a  private  woman,   she  is  never  alone.     And   yet  choress. 

many  there  be  that  boast  themselves  that  they  have  faith, 
and  that  when  Christ  shall  come  they  shall  do  well  enough. 
Nay,  nay,  those  that  be  faitliful  shall  be  so  few,  that  Christ 
shall  scarce  sec  them.  "  Many  there  be  that  runneth,"  saith 
St  Paul,  "but  there  is  but  one  that  receiveth  the  reward."  It 
shall  be  with  the  multitude,  when  Christ  shall  come,  as  it 
was  in  the  time  of  Noe,  and  as  it  was  in  the  time  of  Lot. 
In  the  time  of  Noc,  "  they  were  eating  and  drinking,  build- 
ing and  planting,  and  suddenly  the  water  came  upon  them, 
and  drowned  them."  In  the  time  of  Lot  also,  "  they  were 
eating  and  chinking,  &c,  and  suddenly  the  fire  came  upon 
them,  and  devoured  them."  And  now  we  arc  eating  and 
drinking :  there  was  never  such  building  then  as  is  now, 
planting,  nor  marrying.  And  thus  it  shall  be,  even  when 
Christ  shall  come  at  judgment. 

Is  eating,  and  drinking,  and  marrying,  reproved  in  scrip-  what  eating 
ture  ?  Is  it  not  ?  Nay,  ho  reprovcth  not  all  kind  of  eating  islln'Z'a'i'Ir 
and  drinking,  he  must  be  otherwise  undcrstanded.      If  the  what  is  not 

i  i  ill-  ct  allowed- 

scripture  be  not  truly  expounded,  what  is  more  erroneous  r 
And  though  there  be  complainings  of  some  eating  and  drink- 
ing in  the  scripture,  yet  he  speaketh  not  as  though  all  were 
naught.  They  may  be  well  ordered,  they  are  God's  allow- 
ance :  but  to  eat  and  drink  as  they  did  in  Noe's  time,  and 
as  they  did  in  Loth's  time,  this  eating,  and  drinking,  and 
marrying,  is  spoken  against.  To  cat  and  drink  in  the  forgct- 
fulness  of  God's  commandment,  voluptuously,  in  excess  and 
gluttony,  this  kind  of  eating  and  drinking  is  naught ;  when 
it  is  not  done  moderately,  soberly,  and  with  all  circumspec- 
tion. And  likewise  to  marry  for  fleshly  lust,  and  for  their 
own  phantasy.  There  was  never  such  marrying  in  England 
as  is  now.      I  hear  tell  of  stealing  of  wards  to  marry  their 

[!  A  female  hermit.] 


170 


FOURTH    SERMON, 


&C. 


[SERM.    X.] 


Stealing  of 
wards  for 
land's  sake. 


Marriages, 

some  are 
godly  and 
some  are 
ungodly. 


He  is  blessed 
that  heareth 
and  keepeth 
God's  word. 


children  to.  This  is  a  strange  kind  of  stealing  :  but  it  is  not 
the  wards,  it  is  the  lands  that  they  steal.  And  some  there 
be  that  knit  up  marriages  together,  not  for  any  love  or 
godliness  in  the  parties,  but  to  get  friendship,  and  make  them 
strong  in  the  realm,  to  increase  then*  possessions,  and  to  join 
land  to  land.  And  other  there  be  that  inveigle  men's 
daughters,  in  the  contempt  of  their  fathers,  and  go  about  to 
marry  them  without  their  consent l :  this  marrying  is  ungodly. 
And  many  parents  constrain  their  sons  and  daughters  to 
marry  where  they  love  not,  and  some  are  beaten  and  com- 
pulsed2. And  they  that  marry  thus,  marry  in  a  forgetfulness 
and  obliviousness  of  God's  commandments.  But  as  in  the 
time  of  Noe  suddenly  a  clap  fell  in  their  bosoms ;  so  it 
shall  be  with  us  at  the  latter  day,  when  Christ  shall  come. 
We  have  as  little  conscience  as  may  be ;  and  when  he  shall 
come,  he  shall  lack  lady  Faith.  Well  is  them  that  shall  be 
of  that  little  flock,  that  shall  be  set  on  the  right  hand,  &c. 

I  have  troubled  you  long,  partly  being  out  of  my  matter, 
partly  being  in ;  but  now  I  will  make  an  end.  I  began  with 
this  text,  Qucecunque  scripta  sunt,  &c. ;  so  I  will  end  now 
for  mine  own  ease,  as  an  old  truant,  with  this  sentence, 
Beati  qui  audiunt  verbum  Dei,  &c,  "  Blessed  are  they  that 
hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep  it."  I  told  you  in  the 
beginning  of  this  parable  of  bene :  Nil  melius  quam  Icetari 
et  facere.  If  I  had  ceased  there,  all  had  been  well,  quoth 
the  merry  monk.  So,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word 
of  God  ;"  but  what  followeth  ?  "  and  keep  it."  Our  blessed- 
ness cometh  of  the  keeping.  It  hangs  all  on  the  end  of  the 
tale,  in  crediting  and  assenting  to  the  word,  and  following  of 
it.  And  thus  we  shall  begin  our  blessedness  here,  and  at 
length3  we  shall  come  to  the  blessing  that  never  shall  have 
end  ;  which  God  grant  both  you  and  me.     Amen. 


\}  An  act  had  to  be  passed  in  the  next  reign  (4  and  5  Phil,  and 
Mar.  c.  9,)  for  the  correction  of  this  "great,  familiar,  and  common 
mischief."] 

[2  See  Becon,  A  New  Catechism,  &c,  p.  372,  Parker  Soc.  Edit.] 

[3  at  the  length,  1549,  1562.] 


THE   FIFTH   SERMON   PREACHED   BEFORE   KING  EDWARD, 
APRIL  5,  [1549.] 


ROMANS  XV.  [4.] 

Qucecunque  scripta  sunt,  ad  nostrum  doctrinam  scripta  sunt. 

All  things  that  are  written,  they  are  written  to  be  our  doctrine. 

What  doctrine  is  written  for  us  in  the  parable  of  the 
judge  and  the  widow,  I  have  opened  it  to  you,  most  honour- 
able audience.  Something  as  concerning  the  judge,  I  would 
wish  and  pray  that  it  might  be  a  little  better  kept  in  memory, 
that  in  the  seat  of  justice  no  more  iniquity  and  unrighteous- 
ness might  reign.  Better  a  little  well  kept,  than  a  great 
deal  forgotten.  I  would  the  judges  would  take  forth  their  judges  are 
lesson,  that  there  might  be  no  more  iniquity  used,  nor  bribe-  toaroid  e 
taking ;  for  if  there  shall  be  bribing,  they  know  the  peril  to  use  no 
of  it,  they  know  what  shall  follow.  I  would  also  they  should 
take  an  example  of  this  judge,  that  did  say,  not  that  that  he 
thought  himself,  but  our  Saviour  Christ  puts  him  to  say  that 
thing  that  was  hid  unto  himself.  Wherefore  I  would  ye 
should  keep  in  memory,  how  unsearchable  a  man's  heart  is. 
I  would  ye  should  remember  the  fall  of  the  angels,  and  be- 
ware thereby;  the  fall  of  the  old  world,  and  beware  thereby; 
the  fall  of  Sodome  and  Gomora,  and  beware  thereby ;  the 
fall  of  Loth's  wife,  and  beware  thereby ;  4  [the  fall  of  the 
man  that  suffered  of  late,  and  beware  thereby.] 

I  would  not  that  miserable  folk  should  forget  the  argu-  The  argu- 
ment of  the  wicked  nidge,  to  induce  them  to  prayer ;   which  wicked  judge 

.        .  .  -r„      ,  •      ,  ,      •  i  should  induce 

argument  is  this:  It  the  judge,  bemg  a  tyrant,  a  cruel  man,  us  to  pray, 
a  wicked  man,  which  did  not  call  her  to  him,  made  her  no 
promise,  nor  in  hearing  nor  helping  of  her  cause,  yet  in  the 
end  of  the  matter,  for  the  importunity's  sake,  did  help  her ; 
much  more  Almighty  God,  which  is  a  father,  who  beareth  a 
fatherly  affection,  as  the  father  doth  to  the  child,  and  is 
naturally  merciful,  and  calleth  us  to  him,  with  his  promise 
that  he  will  hear  them  that  call  upon  him,  that  be  in  distress, 
and  burdened  with  adversity.  Remember  this.  You  know 
[4  Inserted  from  1549.] 


172  FIFTH    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sEKM. 

where  to  have  your  remedy.     You  by  your  prayer  can  work 

great  efficacy,  and  your  prayer  with  tears  is  an  instrument 

of  great  efficacy :  it  can  bring  many  things  to  pass. 

te^udrt  ^ut  what  tmng  is  that  that  maketh  our  prayer  accept- 

by prayer,     abic  to  q0(j 9    js  ft  our  babbling?    No,  no ;   it  is  not  our 

babbling,  nor  our  long  prayer ;  there  is  another  thing  than  it. 

The  dignity  and  worthiness  of  our  words  is  of  no  such  virtue. 

what         For  whosoever  resorteth  unto  God,  not  in  the  confidence  of 

maketh  our  .  . 

prayers  ac-    lus  own  merits,  but  in  the  sui'c  trust  of  the  deserving;  of  our 

ceptable  to  ... 

God-  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  Ins  passion;    whosoever  doth 

invocate  the  Father  of  heaven  in  the  trust  of  Christ's  merits, 
which  offering  is  the  most  comfortable  and  acceptable  offering 

our  prayer    to  the  Father ;  whosoever,  I  say,  offereth  up  Christ,  winch  is 

!oVn,nVs°  a  perfect  offering,  he  cannot  be  denied  the  thing  he  desireth, 
so  that  it  be  expedient  for  him  to  have  it.  It  is  not  the 
babbling  of  our  lips,  nor  dignity  of  our  words,  but  the 
prayer  of  the  heart  is  the  offering  that  pleaseth,  through  the 
only  means  of  his  Son.  For  our  prayer  profiteth  us,  because 
we  offer  Christ  to  his  Father.  AVhosoever  resorteth  to  God 
without  Christ,  he  resorteth  in  vain.  Our  prayer  pleaseth 
because  of  Jesus  Christ,  whom  we  offer.      So  that  it  is  faith, 

Faith  is  an.  faith,  faith  is  the  matter.  It  is  no  prayer  that  is  without 
faith,  it  is  but  a  lip-labouring  and  mockery,  without  faith; 
it  is  but  a  little  babbling. 

conjectures  I  spake  also  of  lack  of  faith ;  and  upon  that  also  I  said, 

the  world.  The  end  of  the  world  is  near  at  hand ;  for  there  is  lack  of  faith 
now ;  also  the  defection  is  come,  and  swerving  from  the  faith. 
Antichrist,  the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  iniquity,  is  revealed;  the 
latter  day  is  at  hand.  Let  us  not  think  his  coming  is  far  off. 
But  whensoever  he  cometh,  he  shall  find  iniquity  enough,  let 

as  much      him  come  when  he  will.    What  is  now  behind  ?   AVe  be  eating 

wickedness  1   j    •    i  •  i  ■      -vt  i  •  t    1  •    1 

used  in  our    and  drinking  as  they  were  m  JNoe  s  time;  and  marrying,  I  think 

time  as  ever  o  «/  7  </       O' 

n.'i'iVofNoah  as  wickedly  as  ever  was.  We  be  building,  purchasing,  planting, 
in  the  contempt  of  God's  word.  He  may  come  shortly,  when 
he  will,  for  there  is  so  much  mischief,  and  swerving  from  the 
faith,  reigning  now  hi  our  days,  as  ever  was  in  any  age.  It  is 
a  good  warning  to  us  all,  to  make  ready  against  his  coming. 

This  little  rehearsal  I  have  made  of  the  things  I  spake 
in  my  last  sermon.  I  will  now  for  this  day  return  to  my 
question,  and  dissolve  it,  whether  God's  people  may  be 
governed  by  a  governor  that  beareth  the  name  of  a  king,  or 


XI.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  l7S 

no  ?     The  Jews  had  a  law,  that  when  they  should  have  a  whether 
king,  they  should  have  him  according  to  the  election  of  God :  may  be'go-'6 
he  would  not  leave  the  election  of  a  king  to  their  own  brains,  king'or  nyoa 
There  be  some  busy  brains,  wanton  wits,  that  say,  the  name 
of  a  king  is  an  odious  name;  and  wrest  this  text  of  the  scrip- 
ture, where  God  seemeth  to  be  angry  and  displeased  with 
the  Israelites  for  asking  a  king;  expounding  it  very  evil  and 
odiously  :  as  who  would  say,  a  king  were  an  odious  thing,  i  Sam.  viu. 
I  coming   riding   in  my  way,   and   calling  to  remembrance 
wherefore  I  was  sent,  that  I  must  preach,  and  preach  before 
the  king's  majesty,  I  thought  it  meet  to  frame  my  preaching 
according  to  a  king.     Musing  of  this,  I  remembered  of  myself  our  preach- 
a  book  that  came  from  cardinal  Pole1,  master  Pole,  the  kino-'s  according  to 

.  .  °       the  persons 

traitor,  which  he  sent  to  the  king's  majesty.  I  never  re-  ^"^{j0"1 
member  that  man,  methink,  but  I  remember  him  with  a 
heavy  heart :  a  witty  man,  a  learned  man,  a  man  of  a  noble 
house ;  so  in  favour,  that  if  he  had  tarried  in  the  realm,  and 
would  have  conformed  himself  to  the  king's  proceedings,  I 
heard  say,  and  I  believe  it  verily,  that  he  had  been  bishop  of 
York  at  this  day.  To  be  bidden  by2,  he  would  have  done 
much  good  in  that  part  of  the  realm ;  for  those  quarters  have 
always  had  great  need  of  a  learned  man  and  a  preaching 
prelate.  A  thing  to  be  much  lamented,  that  such  a  man 
should  take  such  a  way.  I  hear  say,  he  readeth  much  S. 
Hierome's  works,  and  is  well  seen  in  them ;  but  I  would  he 
would  follow  St  Hierome,  where  he  expoundeth  this  place  of 
scripture3,   "  Exite  de  ilia,  populus  ^^us :"  Almighty  God 

[*  The  book  alluded  to  was  entitled,  Pro  Ecclesiasticce  Unitatis  De- 
feiisione:  the  object  of  it  was  to  exalt  the  Papacy  and  priesthood 
above  all  the  sovereigns  of  the  earth.  An  account  of  this  book  is 
given  by  Strype,  Mem.  of  Cranmer,  Append.  No.  1 ;  and  a  "  Synopsis" 
of  it  by  Sharon  Turner  in  his  History  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII. 
Bishop  Pilkington  (Works,  p.  497)  says  that  the  cardinal's  "  conscience 
accusing  him  to  have  done  amiss,  he  burned  all  the  books  he  could 
come  by :"  but  it  was  republished  in  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.  The 
history  of  "  master  Pole,"  is  sufficiently  well  known.] 

[2  To  be  a  bidden  by,  1549,  1562.] 

[3  The  preacher  seems  to  refer  to  the  letter  addressed  by  St 
Jerome  to  Algasia  and  to  that  written  to  Marcella,  in  the  names  of 
Paula  and  Eustochium.  Opera,  Tom.  iv.  par.  1.  col.  209:  par.  2.  col. 
551.  Edit.  Bened.  Paris.  1706.  The  Benedictine  editors,  however, 
do  not  consider  the  last-mentioned  letter  to  be  the  composition  of 
St  Jerome.] 


174  FIFTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

saith,  "  Get  you  from  it,  get  you  from  Rome ;"  he  calleth  it 
Rome  is       the  purple  whore  of  Babylon.    It  had  been  more  commendable 

called  of  „  .  •  -nrn  i  •  •  i 

Hierome  the  to  go  from  it,  than  to  come  to  it.      Wnat  his  sayings  be  in 

purple  whore         °  .... 

of  Babylon.  h;s  book,  I  do  not  well  remember;  it  is  in  the  farthest  end  of 
my  memory.  He  declareth  himself  in  it  to  have  a  corrupt 
judgment.  I  have  but  a  glimmering  of  it,  yet  in  general  I 
remember  the  scope  of  it.  He  goeth  about  to  dissuade  the 
king  from  his  supremacy.  In  his  persuasions  he  is  very 
homely,  very  quick,  and  sharp  with  the  king,  as  these  car- 
dinals will  take  well  upon  them.  He  saith1,  that  a  king  is 
an  odious  word,  and  toucheth  the  place  how  God  was  of- 
fended with  the  Israelites  for  calling  for  a  king.  Yery 
lightly  he  seemeth  to  set  forth  the  title  of  a  king ;  as 
though  he  should  mean :  What  is  a  king  ?  What  should  a 
king  take  upon  him  to  redress  matters  of  religion  ?  It  per- 
taineth  to  our  holy  father  of  Rome.  A  king  is  a  name  and 
a  title  rather  suffered  of  God  as  an  evil  thing,  than  allowed 
as  a  good  thing.  Calling  this  to  remembrance,  it  was  an 
occasion  that  I  spake  altogether  before.  Now  I  will  answer 
to  this.  For  the  answer  I  must  somewhat  rip  the  eighth 
chapter  of  the  first  book  of  the  Kings.  And  that  I  may 
have  grace,  &c. 

To  come  to  the  opening  of  this  matter,  I  must  begin  at 
the  beginning  of  the  chapter2;  that  the  unlearned,  although  I 
am  sure  here  be  a  great  many  well  learned,  may  the  better 

i  sam.  viii.  come  to  the  understanding  of  the  matter :  Factum  est  cum 
senuisset  Samuel,  fecit  filios  suos  judices  populo,  "  It  came 
to  pass  when  Samuel  was  stricken  in  age,  he  made  his  sons 
judges  over  Israel."  Of  Samuel  I  might  fetch  a  process  afar 
off,  of  the  story  of  Elcana,  who  was  his  father,  and  who  was 
his  mother.  Elcana,  his  father,  had  two  wives,  Anna  and 
Phenenna,  and  did  not  put  them  away  as  men  do  now-a-days. 
There  was  debate  between  these  two  wives.  Phenenna,  in 
the  doing  of  sacrifice,  embraided  Anna  because  she  was  bar- 
ren and  not  fruitful.  I  might  take  here  occasion  to  entreat 
of  the  duty  between  man  and  wife,  which  is  a  holy  religion, 
but  not  religiously  kept.  But  I  will  not  enter  into  that  mat- 
ter at  this  time.     Well,  in  process  of  time  God  made  Anna 

[l  Pro  Ecclesiastics;  Unit.  Defens.  Lib.  n.  fol.  24,  &c.  Argent. 
1555.] 

[2  I  must  begin  at  the  chapter,  the  old  editions  after  1549.] 


XI. J  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  175 

fruitful  through  her  devout  prayer :  she  brought  forth  Samuel,  Hannah  the 
who  by  the  ordinance  of  God  was  made  the  high  priest :   fa-  Samuel, 
ther  Samuel,  a  good  man,  a  singular  example,  and  singular 
pattern,  a  man  alone,  few  such  men  as  father  Samuel  was. 
To  be  short,  he  was  now  come  to  age,  he  was  an  old  man,  samuei  being 

n  ■.  ,  .    .       aged  had  to 

an  impotent  man,  not  able  to  go  trom  place  to  place  to  mims-  neh,  him  two 
ter  justice ;  he  elected  and  chose  two  suffragans,  two  coad- 
jutors, two  co-helpers.  I  mean  not  hallowers  of  bells,  nor 
christeners  of  bells;  that  is  a  popish  suffraganship3.  He  made 
them  to  help  him  to  discharge  his  office :  he  chose  his  two 
sons  rather  than  other,  because  he  knew  them  to  be  well 
brought  up  in  virtue  and  learning.  It  was  not  for  any  carnal 
affection;  he  cared  not  for  his  renown  or  revenues,  but  he 
appointed  them  for  the  ease  of  the  people,  the  one  for  to 
supply  Ins  place  in  Bethsabe,  and  the  other  in  Bethlem ; 
as  we  have  now  in  England,  for  the  wealth  of  the  realm, 
we  have  two  lords  presidents4.  Surely  it  is  well  done,  and 
a  goodly  order :  I  would  there  were  a  third  in  another  place. 
For  the  ease  of  his  people,  good  father  Samuel,  and  to  dis- 
charge his  office  in  places  where  he  could  not  come  himself, 

[3  "  They  (the  bishops)  reserved  unto  themselves  also  the  christen- 
yng  of  belles,  and  conjuring  or  hallowyng  of  churches  and  church- 
yardes,  and  of  altares... which  confirmation,  and  the  other  conjurations 
also,  they  have  now  committed  to  their  suffragans."  Tyndall,  Works, 
p.  152.  See  also  Brand,  Observation  on  Popular  Antiquities,  edited 
by  Ellis,  II.  pp.  132,  &c.  Of  the  important  statute,  26  Hen.  VIII.  c.  14, 
which  authorised  every  archbishop  and  bishop  within  the  dominions 
of  the  sovereign  of  England,  "  being  disposed  to  have  a  suffragan," 
to  nominate  two  fit  persons  for  that  office,  of  whom  the  crown  was  to 
select  one  for  consecration,  our  prelates  availed  themselves  until  the 
troubles  which  ended  in  the  Commonwealth.  Charles  II.  on  his  re- 
storation promised  to  "  appoint  such  a  number  of  suffragan  bishops  in 
every  diocese  as  should  be  sufficient  for  the  due  performance  of  then- 
work."  This  promise  does  not  seem  to  have  been  fulfilled :  the  statute 
of  Henry  VIII.  is,  however,  still  unrepealed,  and  the  canons  of  1603 
assume  it  to  be  in  full  operation.] 

[4  One  of  Wales,  and  one  of  the  North.  King  Henry  VIII.  was 
desirous  of  establishing  a  lord  president  and  council  in  the  "  western 
parts"  of  England  also,  "pretending  it  to  be  for  their  ease  to  receive 
justice  at  then  own  doors ;"  but  the  people  opposed  it,  preferring  to 
live  under  the  direct  government  of  the  crown  and  the  common  law. 
Lords  Lieutenants,  however,  seem  about  this  time  to  have  been  intro- 
duced into  counties,  as  standing  representatives  of  the  crown.  Coke, 
4  Inst.  246.  Blackstone,  I.  412.] 


176  FIFTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

he  set  his  two  sons  in  office  with  him  as  his  suffragans  and 
ow  bishops  as  his  coadjutors.  Here  I  might  take  occasion  to  treat,  what 
,Vmm!  l.n-ach-  old  and  impotent  bishops  should  do,  what  old  preachers  should 
them.  do,  when  they  come  to  impotency,  to  join  with  them  preach- 

ers, (preachers,  not  bell-hallowers,)  and  to  depart  part  of  their 
living  with  them.  I  might  have  dilated  this  matter  at  large ; 
but  I  am  honestly  prevented  of  this  common-place,  and  I  am 
very  glad  of  it :  it  was  very  well  handled  the  last  Sunday. 
They  that  will  not  for  the  office  sake  receive  other,  regard 
more  the  fleece  than  the  flock.  Father  Samuel  regarded  not 
his  revenues.  Our  Lord  give  them  grace  to  be  affected  as 
he  was,  and  to  follow  him,  &c. ! 

Though  I  say  that  I  would  wish  more  lords  presidents, 

I  mean  not,  that  I  would  have  prelates  lords  presidents ;  nor 

Bishops        that  lords  bishops  should  be  lords  presidents.      As  touching 

ought  not  to  •1'11  -ii 

beioTds        that,  I  said  my  mind  and  conscience  the  last  year.      And  al- 

president  ...  .     . 

though  it  is  said,  prmsunt,  it  is  not  meant  that  they  should  be 
lords  presidents.  The  office  of  a  presidentship  is  a  civil  office, 
and  it  cannot  be  that  one  man  shall  discharge  both  well. 

It  followeth  in  the  text,  Non  ambulaverunt  filii  ejus 
in  viis  ejus,  "  His  sons  walked  not  in  his  ways."  Here  is  the 
matter,  here  ye  see  the  goodness  of  Samuel,  how  when  he 
was  not  able  to  take  the  pains  himself,  for  their  own  ease, 
he  appointed  them  judges  near  unto  them,  as  it  were  in  the 
The  wori.i  is  further  parts  of  his  realm,  to  have  iustice  rightly  ministered. 

crafty  and  x  '  °        " 

deceitful.  But  what  followed  ?  Though  Samuel  were  good,  and  his 
children  well  brought  up,  look  what  the  world  can  do ! 
All,  crafty  world !  whom  shall  not  this  world  corrupt  and 
deceive  at  one  time  or  other  ?  Samuel  thought  his  sons 
should  have  proved  well,  but  yet  Samuel's  sons  walked  not 
in  their  father's  way.  Why  ?  What  then  ?  Is  the  son 
always  bound  to  walk  in  the  father's  way  ?  No,  ye  must 
Every  son  is  not  take  it  for  a  general  rule.  All  sons  are  not  to  be  blamed 
w'aik  in  his    for  not  walking  in  their  father's  ways.     Ezekias  did  not  fol- 

father's  ways.  &  «  . 

2Kingsxviii.  low  the  steps  of  his  father  Ahaz,  and  was  well  allowed  in  it. 
Josias,  the  best  king  that  ever  was  in  Jewry,  reformed  his 
father's  ways,  who  walked  in  worldly  policy.  In  his  youth 
he  took  away  all  idolatry,  and  purged  his  realm  of  it,  and 
set   a   good   order  in  all  his  dominions,  and  wrestled  with 

2Kingsxxii.  idolatry.  And  although  his  father  or  his  grandfather  Ma- 
nasscs  (it  makes  no  matter  whether)  repented  in  the  end, 


XI.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  177 

he  had  no  time  to  reform  things,  he  left  it  to  his  son  to  be 

done.    Josias  began,  and  made  an  alteration  in  his  childhood;  jos.aswasbut 

he  turned  all  upside-down,  he  would  suffer  no  idolatry  toXR 

A  m  "  began  to 

stand.     Therefore  you  must  not  take  it  for  a  general  rule,  reign. 

that  the  son  must  ever  walk  in  Ins  father's  ways.     Here  I 

will  renew  that  which  I  said  before  of  the  stiff-necked  Jews, 

the  rebellious  people,  that  is  their  title ;  they  never  spake  so 

rebelliously  as  to  say  they  would  not  receive  any  alteration 

till  their  kins'  came  to  age.      Much  less  we  Englishmen,  if  Englishmen 

are  sturdier 

there  be  any  such  in  England,  may  be  ashamed.      I  wonder  than  the 
with  what  conscience  folk  can  hear  such  things,  and  allow  it. 

This  Josias  made  a  notable  alteration ;  and  therefore  take 
it  not  for  a  general  rule,  that  the  son  shall  always  walk  in 
his  father's  ways.     Think  not  because  he  was  slain  in  battle,  josias  was 

•  n         t  •         n      i       i  J  slain  in  battle 

that  God  was  displeased  with  him :  for  herein  (jod  shewed  >>y  Pharaoh 

1  ~,  Necho,  king 

his  goodness  to  him  wonderfully  ;  who  would  not  suffer  him  "f'Jf^- at 
to  see  the  captivity  that  he  would  bring  upon  the  Israelites. 
He  would  not  have  him  to  have  the  sight,  the  feeling,  and 
the  beholding  of  his  plague  ;  he  suffered  him  to  be  taken 
away  before,  and  to  be  slain  of  the  king  of  Egypt.  Where- 
fore a  just  man  must  be  glad  when  he  is  taken  from  misery : 
Justus  si  morte  prceoccupatus  fuerit  in  refrigerio  erit ;  "  If 
a  just  man  be  prevented  with  death,  it  shall  be  to  his  relief :" 
he  must  think  that  he  is  one  of  those  whom  the  world  is 
not  worthy  to  have.  It  came  of  a  singular  goodness  of  God, 
that  he  was  by  death  delivered  from  the  sight  of  that  cap- 
tivity. Therefore  take  it  not  for  a  general  rule,  that  the  son 
be  always  bound  to  walk  in  the  father's  ways :  Nolite  in 
prceceptis  patrum  vestrorum  incedere,  "  Walk  not  in  the 
commandments  of  your  fathers ;"  for  so  it  is  said  in  another 
place  of  scripture.  It  is  spoken  to  the  reproach  of  Samuel's 
sons,  that  they  walked  not  in  his  way,  for  he  was  a  good 
man :  a  wonderful  thing  that  these  children,  being  so  well 
brought  up,  should  so  fall  and  be  corrupt.  If  the  devil  can 
prevail  and  hath  power  against  them  that  had  so  godly 
education,  what  vantage  hath  he  at  them  that  be  brought  up 
in  iniquity  and  covetousness  ?     It  is  a  proverb,  that  Maqis-  Authority 

^m  i  i        •  i  .i    altereth 

tratus  virum  commonstrat,   "  Office  and  authority  sheweth  manners. 
what  a  man  is."    A  man  knoweth  not  himself  till  he  be  tried.  Authority 
Many  there  be  that  being  without  office  can  rebuke  magis-  I  mZ  i* '" 
trates,  and  find  fault  with  men  that  be  in  office  and  pre- 

r  i  12 

LLATIMER.J 


178  FIFTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

eminence :  after,  when  it  cometh  to  their  chance  to  come 
to  office  themselves,  then  they  have  taken  out  a  new  lesson ; 
Cum  essem  parvulus  sapiebam  ut  parvulus,  "  When  I  was 
a  child  I  savoured  as  a  child."  They  will  do  then  as  other 
men  do ;  they  are  come  to  have  experience,  to  be  practition- 
a  maws  ers.  The  maid's  child  is  ever  best  taught :  for  he  that  stand- 
best1  taught  eth  upright  in  office,  he  is  the  fellow.  Samuel  would  never 
have  thought  that  his  sons  should  have  been  so  corrupted. 
It  is  a  perilous  thing,  a  dangerous  state  to  be  a  judge.  They 
felt  the  smack  of  this  world,  a  perilous  thing :  and  therefore 
Chrysostom  saith,  JSIiror  si  aliquis  rectorum  salvabitur ; 
"  I  marvel,"  saith  he,  "  that  any  ruler  can  be  saved."  If  the 
peril  were  well  considered,  men  would  not  be  so  desirous  as 
they  be.  The  world,  the  world  hath  many  subtle  sleights  : 
it  is  a  crafty  thing,  and  very  deceitful,  a  corrupter ;  and  who 
is  it  whom  the  world  doth  not  corrupt  and  blind  at  one  time 
or  other  ?  What  was  the  way  they  walked  ?  Declinaverunt 
post  avaritiam,  that  is  one  :  they  stooped  after  gains,  turned 
aside  after  lucre.  What  followed  ?  Acceperunt  munera,  they 
Rewards  is  a  took  rewards,   gifts ;   bribes  I  should  call  them,  for  that  is 

fairer  word        ....  .  .     . 

than  bribes,  their  right  name.  Perverterunt  judicium,  they  turned  jus- 
tice upside  down.  Either  they  would  give  wrong  judgment, 
or  else  put  off  and  delay  poor  men's  matters.  These  were 
their  ways,  here  is  the  devil's  genealogy ;  a  gradation  of  the 

scaia  infemi.  deviFs  making  :  this  is  scala  inferni,  the  ladder  of  hell. 

scaiaeceii.  I  told  you  before  of  scala  cceli,  the  ladder  of  heaven; 

I  would  you  should  not  forget  it.  The  steps  thereof  are  set 
forth  in  the  tenth  to  the  Romans.  The  first  is  preaching, 
then  hearing,  then  believing,  and  last  of  all  salvation.  Scala 
cceli  is  a  preaching  matter,  I  tell  you,  and  not  a  massing 
matter.  God's  instrument  of  salvation  is  preaching.  Here 
I  move  you,  my  lords,  not  to  be  greedy  and  outrageous  in 
enhancing  and  raising  of  your  rents  to  the  minishing  of  the 

The  study  of  office  of  salvation.      It  would  pity  a  man's  heart  to  hear  that 

d.v.'iNr.iin     that  I  hear  of  the  state  of  Cambridge1:  what  it  is  in  Oxford, 


divin 

decay 
Cambridge 


[J  About  this  time  Roger  Ascham,  in  writing  to  Archbishop  Cran- 
mer,  observed,  "That  the  university  [of  Cambridge]  was  then  in  so 
depressed  and  drooping  a  condition,  that  very  few  had  hope  of  coming 
thither  at  all,  and  fewer  had  any  comfort  to  make  long  tarrying  when 
they  were ;  and  that  abroad  it  retained  not  so  much  as  a  shadow  of  its 
ancient  dignity."     Strype,  Mem.  of  Cranmer,  Book  n.  c.  6.] 


XI. J  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  179 

I  cannot  toll.  There  be  few  do  study  divinity,  but  so  many 
as  of  necessity  must  furnish  the  colleges ;  for  their  livings  be 
so  small,  and  victuals  so  dear,  that  they  tarry  not  there,  but 
go  other  where  to  seek  livings;  and  so  they  go  about.  Now 
there  be  a  few  gentlemen,  and  they  study  a  little  divinity. 
Alas !  what  is  that  *?  It  will  come  to  pass  that  we  shall  have 
nothing  but  a  little  Eno-lish  divinity,  that  will  brino-  the  realm  English 

~  °  J  °  divinity. 

into  a  very  barbarousness  and  utter  decay  of  learning.  It 
is  not  that,  I  wis,  that  will  keep  out  the  supremacy  of  the 
bishop  of  Rome. 

Here  I  will-  make  a  supplication,  that  ye  would  bestow  so 
much  to  the  finding  of  scholars  of  good  wits,  of  poor  men's 
sons,  to  exercise  the  office  of  salvation,  in  relieving  of  scholars, 
as  ye  were  wont  to  bestow  in  pilgrimage-matters,  in  trentals, 
in  masses,  in  pardons,  in  purgatory-matters.  Ye  bestowed 
that  liberally,  bountifully  ;  but  this  was  not  well  spent.  You 
had  a  zeal,  but  not  secundum  scientiam,  "  not  according  to 
knowledge."  You  may  be  sure,  if  you  bestow  your  goods  on 
tins  wise,  ye  shall  bestow  it  well,  to  support  and  uphold  God's 
word,  wherein  ye  shall  please  God.  I  require  no  more  but 
that  ye  bestow  so  much  godly  as  ye  were  wont  to  bestow 
ungodly.  It  is  a  reasonable  petition ;  for  God's  sake  look 
upon  it.     I  say  no   more.      There  be  none   now  but  e*reat  They  that 

■  n  •  i  have  least 

men's  sons  in  eolleg-es,  and  their  lathers  look  not  to  have  need  have 

°  %  most  help. 

them  preachers2;  so  every  way  this  office  of  preaching  is 
pinched  at.  I  will  speak  no  more  of  scala  cceli.  But  I  am 
sure  this  is  scala  infer ni,  the  right  way  to  hell,  to  be  covet- 
ous, to  take  bribes,  and  pervert  justice.  If  a  judge  should 
ask  me  the  way  to  hell,  I  would  shew  him  this  way  :  first, 
let  him  be  a  covetous  man,  let  his  heart  be  poisoned  with 
covetousness ;  then  let  him  go  a  little  further  and  take 
bribes ;  and  last,  pervert  judgment.  Lo,  here  is  the  mother 
and  the  daughter,  and  the  daughter's  daughter.  Avarice  is 
the  mother,  she  brings  forth  bribe-taking,  and  bribe-taking 
perverting  of  judgment.      There  lacks  a  fourth  thing  to  make 

[2  Ascham  also  mentions,  as  ono  of  the  two  "  hinderances  to  the 
flourishing  estate  of  the  university,"  that  "  such  as  were  admitted  were 
for  the  most  part  only  the  sons  of  rich  men,  and  such  as  never  in- 
tended to  pursue  their  studies  to  that  degree  as  to  arrive  at  any 
eminent  proficiency  and  perfection  in  learning.''  Strype,  Mem.  of 
Cranmer,  ubi  sup.] 

12—2 


ISO 


Ill'I'll     SKU.MON     HIEACHKD     BEFORE 


[« 


A  Tyburn 
tippet  for 
bribe  takers. 


A  holiday 
work  to 
visit  the 
prisoners. 


A  widow 
that  b<  ing 
condemned, 
was  after 
committed  to 
Christ. 


No  man  may 
traffic  alum 
but  by  the 
pope's 
licence. 


up  the  moss,  which,  (so  God  help  me  !)  it'  I  wove  judge,  should 
be  hangum  tuum,  a  Tyburn  tippet  to  take  with  him,  and  it 
were  the  judge  of  the  king's  bench,  my  lord  chief  judge  of 
England;  yea,  and  it  were  my  lord  chancellor  himself,  to  Ty- 
burn with  him.  There  was  within  these  thirtj  years  a  certain 
widow,  which  suddenly  was  attached,  had  to  prison,  indicted. 
condemned,  and  there  were  certain  learned  men  that  visited 
her  in  the  prison.  Oh,  1  would  ye  would  resort  to  prisons! 
A  commendable  thing  in  a  christian  realm:  1  would  wish  there 
were  curates  for  prisons,  that  we  mighl  say,  the  curate  of 
Newgate,  the  curate  of  the  Fleet,  and  1  would  have  them 
waged  for  their  labour.  It  is  a  holiday  work  to  visit  the 
prisoners,  for  they  be  kept  from  sermons.  There  was  that 
resorted  to  this  woman,  who  when  she  came  to  prison,  was 
all  on  her  heads,  and  nothing  else,  a  popish  woman,  and  sa- 
voured not  of  Jesu  Christ.  In  process  she  was  so  applied, 
that  she  tasted  quam  suavis  est  Dominus ;  she  had  such  a 
savour,  such  a  sweetness  and  feeling,  that  she  thought  it  long 
to  the  1 1  a \  of  execution.  She  was  with  Christ  already,  as 
touching  faith;  she  had  such  a  desire  that  she  said  with 
St  Paul.  Cupio  dissolvi  et  esse  cent  Christo,  "  1  desire  to  be 
rid,  and  to  be  with  Christ.'"  The  word  of  God  had  so 
wrought  in  her.  When  she  was  brought  to  punishment,  she 
desired  to  confess  her  fault  :  she  took  of  her  death,  that  she 
was  guiltless  in  that  thing  she  suffered  for,  and  her  neigh- 
bours would  have  borne  her  witness  in  the  same.  She  was 
always  an  honest  civil  woman:  her  neighbours  would  have  gone 
on  her  purgation  a  great  way.  They  would  needs  have  her 
confess.  "Then,"  saith  she.  "  I  am  not  guilty.  Would  ye  have 
me  make  me  guilty  where  1  am  not?"  Yet  tor  all  this  she 
was  a  trespasser,  she  had  done  a  great  offence.  But  before 
I  go  forward  with  this.  I  must  first  tell  you  a  tale.  1  heard 
a  need  while  ago  a  tale  of  one  (I  saw  the  man  that  told  me 
the  tale  not  long  ago)  in  this  auditory.  He  hath  travelled  in 
more  countries  than  one.  lie  told  me  that  there  was  once 
a  praetor  in  Home,  lord  mayor  of  Rome,  a  rich  man.  one  of 
the  richest  merchants  in  all  the  city,  and  suddenly  he  was 
cast  in  the  castle  Angel1.  It  was  heard  of.  and  every  man 
whispered  in  another's  ear.  "What  hath  he  done?  Hath 
he  killed  any  man  ?"  "  No."  ••  Hath  he  meddled  with  alum. 
['  Castle  of  St  Ano-elo.] 


XI.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  181 

our  holy  father's  merchandise2?"  "No."  "Hath  ho  coun- 
terfeited niii-  holy  father's  bulls?"  "No."  For  those  were 
high  treasons.  One  rounded  another  in  the  ear,  and  said, 
Erat  dives,  "  He  was  a  rich  man:"  a  great  fault.  Here  was 
a  goodly  prey  for  that  holy  lather.  It  was  in  pope  Julius's3 
time  ;  he  was  a  great  warrior.  This  prey  would  help  him  to 
maintain  his  wars;  a  jolly  prey  for  our  holy  father.  .So  this 
woman  was  dives:  she  was  a  rich  woman,  she  had  her  lands 
by  the  sheriff's  nose,  lie  was  a  gentleman  of  a  long  nose. 
Such  a  cup,  such  a  cover!  She  would  not  depart  from  her 
own.     This  sheriff  was  a  covetous  man,  a  worldly  man.    The^mta 

i  i  it  f  iii-  commonly 

judge,  at  tne  impanelling  of  the  quest,  had  Ins  grave  looks,  a«covetou« 
and  charged  them  with  this:   "  It  was  the  king's  matter,  look  ; 
well  upon  it."      When  it  makes  for  their  purpose,  they  have  '""  '• 
"The  King,  the  King,"  in  their  mouths.    Well,  somewhat  there 
was,  there  was  walking  of  angels'  between  them.      I  would 
wish  that  of  such  a  judge  in  England  now  we  might  have  the 
skin  hanged  up.      It  wrere  a  goodly  sign,  the   sign  of  the  The  si,™  of 
judge's   skin.      It   should    be    Lot's    wife   to   all   judges    thatBkia 
should  follow  after. 

[5  By   this  ye  may  perceive  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  a  man  may 
answer  for  himself,  and  be  arraigned  at  the  bar,  and  never-  himself,  and 

yi  i  hai  e 
wrong:  and 

[2  In  Europe,  the  art  of  boiling  alum  seems  to  have  been  first  and  yet 
known  in  Italy.  Several  manufactories  for  thai  Bubstance  were  soon  'lU•r'(,' l 
established  in  various  parts  of  that  country;  but  pope  Pius  II.  never 
rested  until  he  had  obtained  all  the  alum  manufactories  to  be  given 
up,  and  the  whole  trade  to  be  transferred  into  his  own  hands.  He 
then  endeavoured,  by  every  possible  means,  to  prevent  foreigners  from 
acquiring  any  knowledge  of  the  art  of  boiling  alum;  and  prohibited 
free-trade  in  that  article  as  a  sin,  and  under  the  terror  of  excommuni- 
cation. Subsequent  pontiffs  maintained  the  monopoly  by  the  same 
spiritual  appliances.  Beckman,  History  of  Inventions,  i.  pp.  312,  et 
seq.] 

[3  Pope  Julius  II.  whose  whole  pontificate  was  spent  amid  violence 
and  bloodshed.] 

[4  A  gold  coin  so  called,  which  bore  on  one  side  of  it  tlie  figure  of 
the  archangel  .Michael  and  the  dragon.] 

[5  The  passage  in  brackets  is  inserted  from  the  editions  of  1549  and 
1562.  It  is  an  attempt  to  vindicate  the  parliament  which  passed  the 
act  (2  and  :',  Edward  VI.  c.  IS,)  for  attainting  the  lord  admiral,  with- 
out allowing  liim  to  be  present,  to  object  to  the  evidence  brought 
against  him.  or  to  l»c  heard  in  his  defence,  ('aire.  Ui~t.  of  England, 
in.  p.  231.] 


182  FIFTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

thcless  to  have  wrong  :  yea,  ye  shall  have  it  in  form  of 
law,  and  yet  have  wrong  too.  So  it  is  possible,  in  a  case, 
for  a  man  that  hath  in  his  absence  attaintment,  to  have  right 
and  no  wrong.  I  will  not  say  nay  but  it  is  a  good  law  for 
a  man  to  answer  for  himself:  this  is  reasonable,  allowable, 
and  good.  And  yet  such  an  urgent  cause  may  be,  such 
a  respect  to  a  commonwealth,  that  a  man  may  rightly  be 
condemned  in  his  absence.  There  be  such  causes  that  a 
man  may  in  his  absence  be  condemned,  but  not  oft,  except 
they  be  such  cases  that  the  reason  of  the  general  law  may 
be  kept.  I  am  provoked  of  some  to  condemn  this  law, 
but  I  am  not  able,  so  it  be  but  for  a  time,  and  upon 
weighty  considerations  ;  so  that  it  be  used  rarely,  seldom- 
ly  :  for  avoiding  disturbance  in  the  commonwealth,  such  an 
epiky '  and  moderation  may  be  used  in  it.  And  nevertheless 
it  is  very  meet  and  requisite  that  a  man  should  answer  for 
himself.  We  must  consider  the  ground  of  the  law :  for 
The  reason     Ratio   lea  is  unima   leqis,    "The  reason   of  the  law  is  the 

of  the  law 

is  th,.  soul  soul  of  the  law."  Why  ?  What  is  the  reason  and  end  of 
the  law  ?  It  is  this,  that  no  man  should  be  injured.  A 
man  may  in  his  attaintment  have  no  more  wrong  done 
him  than  if  he  answered  for  himself.  Ah !  then  I  am  not 
able  to  say,  that  in  no  wise  an  arraignment  may  be  turned 
into  attaintment.  A  man  may  have  wrong,  and  that  in 
open  judgment  and  in  form  of  law,  and  yet  allowed  to 
answer  for  himself;  and  even  so  is  possible  he  may  have 
right,  though  he  never  answer  for  himself.  I  will  not  say 
How  we  must  but  that  the  parliament-houses,  both  high  and  low,  may  err, 
doings  of  the  and  yet  they  may  do  well,  and  christian  subjects  must  take 
all  things  to  the  best,  and  expound  their  doings  well,  although* 
they  cannot  yield  a  reason  for  it,  except  their  proceedings  be 
manifestly  wicked.  For  though  they  cannot  attain  to  see  for 
what  purpose  things  be  done,  it  is  no  good  reason  that  they 

[!  (eVtet'/ceta)  "Is  that  parte  of  justice  called  in  Latine  cequum 
and  bonum:  in  English  there  is  not  any  one  word  founden  therefor; 
but  that  therby  may  be  understand  that  equitee  which  omitteth 
parte  of  the  rigour  or  extremitee  of  a  law  that  is  written,  or  con- 
formeth  justice  to  the  occasion  newly  happened,  which  was  not 
remembred  of  the  makers  of  the  lawe ;  applying  it  to  the  thing 
whereof  leaste  detriment  may  seeme  to  ensue."  Bibliothec.  Eliotee, 
sub  voc.  Epiicia  or  Epiices.] 


argument 


XI.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  183 

be  called  evil  done  therefore.  And  is  this  a  good  argument, 
"He  is  not  allowed  to  answer  for  himself  in  this  place  or 
that  place,  where  ho  will  appoint;  ergo,  he  is  not  allowed 
to  answer  for  himself?"  No:  he  might  have  answered  the 
best  he  could  for  himself  before  a  great  many,  and  have 
had  more  too  if  he  had  required  them :  yea,  and  was  com- 
manded upon  his  allegiance  to  speak  for  himself  and  to 
make  answer ;  but  he  would  not.  Needs  he  would  come  out 
to  judgment,-  and  appoint  the  place  himself.  A  man  that 
answers  for  himself  at  the  bar  is  not  allowed  his  man  of 
law  to  answer  for  him,  but  he  must  answer  himself.  Yet 
in  the  parliament,  although  he  were  not  there  himself,  any  Free  liberty 
friend  he  had  had  liberty  to  answer  for  him,  frank  and  free,  tofpeakin 
I  know  ot  the  old  manner :  the  tenor  of  the  writs  is  this, —  ment-house. 
every  man  to  speak  the  best  he  knoweth  of  his  conscience, 
for  the  king's  majesty's  honour,  and  the  wealth  of  the  realm. 
There  were  in  the  parliament,  in  both  houses,  a  great 
many  learned  men,  conscionablo  men,  wise  men.  When 
that  man  was  attainted  there,  and  they  had  liberty  there 
to  say  nay  to  his  attaintment  if  they  would ;  sure  I  am  the 
most  allowed  it,  or  else  it  could  not  have  gone  forward. 

These  premises  considered,  I  would  have  you  to  bear 
such  a  heart  as  it  becometh  christian  subjects.  I  know  what 
men  say  of  me  well  enough.  I  could  purge  myself.  There 
is  that  provokes  me  to  speak  against  this  law  of  attaintment  : 
they  say  I  am  not  indifferent.  Surely  I  would  have  it  to  be 
done  rarely,  upon  some  great  respect  to  the  commonwealth, 
for  avoiding  of  greater  tumult  and  peril.  St  Paul  was  al-  Paul  was 
lowed  to  answer  for  himself :  if  Lysias  the  tribune  had  not  answer  for 

v  himself. 

plucked  him  away  from  shewing  of  his  matter,   it  had  cost  Acts  xxi- 
him   his    life.      Where    he    was    saved    by    the    magistrate, 
being  but  a  private  man;  will  ye  not  allow  that  something 
be    done   as  well   for    saving   of  the   magistrate's   life  ?      It 
behoves  them  of  the  parliament  to  look  well  upon  the  mat- 
ter :  and  I,  for  my  part,  think  not  but  they  did  well ;   else  I 
should  not  yield  the  duty  of  a  subject.      Some  liken  me  to  m.  Latimer 
doctor  Shaw,  that  preached  at  Paul's  Cross,  that  king  Ed-  doctor  siuw. 
ward's  sons  were  bastards2.    An  easy  matter  for  one  of  the 

[2  The  object  of  doctor  Shaw's  preaching  was  to  invalidate  the 
title  of  the  sons  of  Edward  IV.  to  the  crown,  and  so  to  abet  the 
pretensions  of  the  usurper  Richard.  Carte,  Hist,  of  England,  n.  p.  808.] 


184  FIFTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

council  to  do  as  doctor  Shaw  did.  Methink  you,  being 
the  kind's  servant  and  his  officer,  should  think  better  on 
the  king  and  his  council,  though  I  were  light  of  belief.  If 
he  had  been  a  true  man  to  his  master,  he  would  never  have 
spoken  it.  The  council  needs  not  my  lie  for  the  defence 
of  that  that  they  do.  I  can  bear  it  of  myself.  Concern- 
ing myself,  that  which  I  have  spoken  hath  done  some  good. 
You  will  say  this  :  the  parliament-house  are  wiser  than  I  am, 
you  might  leave  them  to  the  defence  of  themselves.  Al- 
though the  men  of  the  parliament-house  can  defend  them- 
selves, yet  have  I  spoken  this  of  a  good  zeal,  and  a  good 
ground,  of  the  admiral's  writing ;  I  have  not  feigned  nor 
bed  one  jot,  I  take  God  to  witness1.  Use  therefore  your 
judgment  and  languages  as  it  becometh  christian  subjects. 
I  will  now  leave  the  honourable  council  to  answer  for  them- 
one  fact  con-  selves.      He    confessed   one    fact,    he    would    have    had   the 

fessed  of  Lhe 
admiral. 
He  would 
not  have  the 
king  brought 

wardkinhis    up  like  a  ward.      I  am  sure  he  hath  been  brought  up  so 

minority.  godly,  with  such  schoolmasters,  as  never  king  was  in 
England,  and  so  hath  prospered  under  them  as  never  none 
did.  I  wot  not  what  he  meant  by  his  bringing  up  like  a 
ward,  unless  he  would  have  him  not  to  go  to  his  book  and 
learn  as  he  doth.  Now  wo  worth  him !  Yet  I  will  not  say 
so  neither,  but  I  pray  God  amend  him,  or  else  God  send 

Kings  should  him  short  life,  that  would  have  my  sovereign  not  to  be 
brought  up  in  learning,  and  would  pluck  him  from  his  book. 
I  advertise  thee  therefore,  my  fellow-subject,  use  thy  tongue 
better,  and  expound  well  the  doings  of  the  magistrates. 

Now  to  the  purpose;  for  these  things  let  me  of  my  matter. 
Some  say  preachers  should  not  meddle  with  such  matters ; 
but  did  not  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  meddle  with  matters  of 
judgment,  when  he  spake  of  the  wicked  judge,  to  leave  ex- 
ample to  us  to  follow,  to  do  the  same'?]     Ye  see  here  that 

Lady  covet-  lady   Covetousness  is   a  fruitful  woman,    ever   childing,  and 

chiming     ever  bringing  forth  her  fruits.      It  is  a  true  saying,  Radix 

omnium  malorum  avaritia,  "  Covetousness  is  the  root  of  all 

\}  of  the  admiral's.,  .one  jot,  1549  only — I  take  God  to  witness, 
1 562  only.] 

[2  See  the  "Lord-admiral's  answer,  &c."  in  Burnet,  Hist.  Reform. 
Records,  Part  II.  Book  i.  No.  31.] 


(MIMIC   S 

a  childi 

woman. 


XI.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  185 

wickedness."  One  will  say,  peradventure,  "  You  speak  un- 
seemly and  inconveniently,  so  to  be  against  the  officers  for 
taking  of  rewards  in  doing  pleasures.  Ye  consider  not  the 
matter  to  the  bottom.  Their  offices  be  bought  for  great  ^fyrth'deat 
sums  ;  now  how  should  they  receive  their  money  again  but  thereafter. 
by  bribing?  Ye  would  have  them  undone.  Some  of  them 
gave  two  hundred  pound,  some  five  hundred  pound,  some 
two  thousand  pound :  and  how  shall  they  gather  up  this 
money  again,  but  by  helping  themselves  in  their  office?" 
And  is  it  so,  trow  ye  ?  Are  civil  offices  bought  for  money  ? 
Lord  God,  who  would  have  thought  that!  Let  us  not  be 
too  hasty  to  credit  it :  for  then  we  have  the  old  proverb, 
Omnia  venalia  Roma.',  "All  things  are  sold  for  money  at 
Rome ;"  and  Rome  is  come  home  to  our  own  doors.  If  they 
buy,  they  must  needs  sell;  for  it  is  wittily  spoken3,  Vender -e 
jure  potest,  emerat  Me  prius,  "  He  may  lawfully  sell  it,  he 
bought  it  before."  God  forfend  that  ever  any  such  enormity 
should  be  in  England,  that  civil  offices  should  be  bought  and 
sold ;  whereas  men  should  have  them  given  them  for  their 
worthiness !  I  would  the  king's  majesty  should  seek  through  ^worthy 
his  realm  for  meet  men,  and  able  men,  worthy  to  be  in  office,  office.1™1  m 
yea,  and  give  them  liberally  for  their  pains ;  and  rather  give 
them  money  to  take  the  office  in  hand,  than  they  to  give 
money  for  it.  This  buying  of  offices  is  a  making  of  bribery  ;  tobuyofflS! 
it  is  an  inducing  and  enforcing  and  compelling  of  men  to 
bribery.  Holy  scripture  qualifieth  the  officers,  and  sheweth 
what  manner  of  men  they  should  be,  and  of  what  qualities, 
vivos  fortes,  some  translations  have,  viros  sapientes,  "  wise 
men ;"  the  English  translation  hath  it  very  well,  "  men  of 
activity,"  that  have  stomachs  to  do  them  office :  they  must 
not  be  milksops,  nor  white-livered  knights ;  they  must  be 
wise,  hearty,  hardy,  men  of  a  good  stomach.  Secondarily, 
he  qualifieth  them  with  the  fear  of  God  :  he  saith  they 
must  be  timentes  Deum,  "  fearing  God."  For  if  he  fear 
God,  he  shall  be  no  briber,  no  perverter  of  judgment,  faith- 
ful4. Thirdly,  they  must  be  chosen  officers,  in  quibus  est 
Veritas,  "  in  whom  is  truth ;"  if  he  say  it,  it  shall  be  clone. 
Fourthly,  qui  oderunt  avaritiam,  "hating  covetousness:"  far 
from  it ;  he  will  not  come  near  it  that  hateth  it.     It  is  not 

p  Of  pope  Alexander  VI.]  p  but  faithful,  1571,  1584.] 


186  FIFTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

he  that  will  give  five  hundred  pound  for  an  office.  With 
these  qualities  God's  wisdom  would  have  magistrates  to  be 
qualified. 

This  cometh  from  the  devil's  consistory,  to  pay  five  hun- 
dred pound  for  one1  office.  If  they  pay  so  much,  it  must 
needs  follow  that  they  take  bribes,  that  they  be  bribe-takers. 
Such  as  be  meet  to  bear  office,  seek  them  out,  hire  them, 
give  them  competent  and  liberal  fees,  that  they  shall  not  need 
selling  of      to  take  any  bribes.     And  if  ye  be  a  sellino;  civil  offices,  ye 

offices  anil  «  "  O  '   *> 

brnrii'cl  is  are  as  they  which  seh  their  benefices ;  and  so  we  shall  have 
an  one.  omnia  venalia,  all  things  bought  for  money.  I  marvel  the 
ground  gapes  not  and  devours  us :  howbeit,  we  ought  not 
to  marvel;  surely  it  is  the  great  lenity  of  God  that  suffers  it. 
0  Lord,  in  what  case  are  we !  If  the  great  men  in  Turky 
should  use  in  their  religion  of  Mahomet  to  sell,  as  our  patrons 
commonly  sell  benefices  here,  the  office  of  preaching,  the  office 
of  salvation,  it  should  be  taken  as  an  intolerable  thing ;  the 
The  Turk      Turk  would  not  suffer  it  in  his  commonwealth.      Patrons  be 

would  not 

wfdo.*1*1  charged  to  see  the  office  done,  and  not  to  seek  a  lucre  and 
a  gain  by  their  patronship.  There  was  a  patron  in  England, 
when  it  was  that  he  had  a  benefice  fallen  into  his  hand,  and 
a  good  brother  of  mine  came  unto  him,  and  brought  him 
thirty  apples  in  a  dish,  and  gave  them  his  man  to  carry  them 
to  his  master.  It  is  like  he  gave  one  to  his  man  for  his 
labour,  to  make  up  the  game,  and  so  there  was  thirty-one. 
This  man  cometh  to  his  master,  and  presented  him  with  the 
dish  of  apples,  saying,  "Sir,  such  a  man  hath  sent  you  a  dish 
of  fruit,  and  desireth  you  to  be  good  unto  him  for  such  a 
benefice.11  "Tush,  tush,"  quoth  he,  "this  is  no  apple  matter;  I 
will  have  none  of  his  apples ;  I  have  as  good  as  these,  or  as 
he  hath  any,  in  mine  own  orchard."  The  man  came  to  the 
priest  again,  and  told  him  what  his  master  said.  "  Then," 
quoth  the  priest,  "  desire  him  yet  to  prove  one  of  them  for 
my  sake;   he  shall  find  them  much  better  than  they  look 

of 'apples'1'"11  *"or-"  ^e  cut  one  °f  them,  and  found  ten  pieces  of  gold  in  it. 
"Marry,"  quoth  he,  "this  is  a  good  apple.1'  The  priest  stand- 
ing not  far  off,  hearing  what  the  gentleman  said,  cried  out  and 
answered,  "They  are  all  one  apple,  I  warrant  you,  sir;  they 
grew  all  on  one  tree,  and  have  all  one  taste."     "  Well,  he  is 

['  an,  1571.] 


XI.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  187 

a  good  fellow,  let  him  have  it,"  quoth  the  patron.      Get  you  Amftof 
a  graft  of  this  tree,  and  I  warrant  you  it  will  stand  you  in  wai  linn/5 
better  stead  than  all  St  Paul's  learning.     Well,  let  patrons  quickly, 
take  heed ;  for  they  shall  answer  for  all  the  souls  that  perish 
through  their  default.      There  is  a  saying,  that  there  be  a 
great  many  in  England  that  say  there  is  no  soul,  that  be- 
lieve not  in  the  immortality  of  man's  soul,  that  think  it  is  not 
eternal,   but  like  a  dosr's  soul,  that  think  there   is  neither 
heaven  or  hell.      O  Lord,  what  a  weighty  matter  is  this! 
What  a  lamentable  thing  in  a  christian  commonwealth !    I 
cannot  tell  what  they  say  ;   but  I  perceive  by  these  works 
that  they  think   so,   or  else  they  would  never  do  as  they 
do.      These   sellers   of   offices   shew  that   they  believe  that A  ^k'kfd  „ 

</  matter  to  sell 

there  is  neither  hell  nor  heaven :  it  is  taken  for  a  laughing  benefices- 
matter. 

Well,  I  will  go  on.  Now  to  the  chapter.  The  children 
of  Israel  came  to  Samuel,  and  said,  Senuisti ;  "  Thou  art 
grown  into  age,  give  us  a  king ;  thy  sons  walk  not  in  thy 
ways."  What  a  heaviness  was  this  to  father  Samuel's  heart, 
to  hear  that  his  sons,  whom  he  had  so  well  brought  up, 
should  swerve  from  his  ways  that  he  had  walked  in  !  Father 
Samuel  goeth  to  God,  to  know  his  will  and  pleasure  in  this 
matter.     God  answered,  "  Let  them  have  a  king;   they  have  The  Jews 

°  '         .    •>  desire  to 

not  cast  thee  away,  but  me,  that  I  should  not  reign  over  Jjg^'gj® 
them."  This  is  their  ground,  that  say  a  king  is  an  odious  God  is  angry- 
thing,  and  not  acceptable  before  the  face  of  God.  Thus  they 
force  and  violate  this  place,  to  make  it  for  their  purpose ; 
where  no  such  thing  is  meant,  "  Shew  the  Israelites,"  saith 
God,  "  and  testify  to  them  a  king's  authority,  and  what  a 
king  is,  and  what  a  king  will  do.  If  that  will  not  persuade 
them,  I  will  not  hear  them  hereafter  when  they  shall  cry 
unto  me." 

I  must  needs  confess  that  the  Jews  trespassed  against 
God  in  asking  a  king2 ;  but  here  is  the  matter,  in  what 
tiling  their  offence  stood,  whether  absolutely  in  asking  a 
king,  or  in  any  other  circumstance.  It  was  in  a  circum- 
stance:  thev  said  not,  Ask  us  a  king  of  God;  but,  Make  us  The  offence 

•  mi  of  the  Jews 

a  king  to  judge  us,  as  all  other  nations  have.     They  would  j"  a^'ne a 
have  a  king  of  their  own  swing,  and  of  their  own  election, 

[2  against  Almighty  God  in  asking  of  a  king,  1549.  j 


188 


FIFTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE 


[serai. 


A  compari- 
son between 
Samuel  and 
his  sons,  and 
Eli  and  his 
sons. 


Samuel's  sons 
■were  bribers 
and  pervert- 
ers  of  judg- 
ment. 


Bribes  are 
like  pitch. 


Anglice,  a 
receiver  of 

his  master's 
bribes. 


as  though  they  passed  not  of  God.  In  another  point  there 
was  pride;  they  would  be  like  the  heathen,  and  judged1 
under  kings,  as  they  were.  Thirdly,  they  offended  God, 
because  they  asked  a  king  to  the  injury  and  wrong  of  good 
father  Samuel,  to  depose  him ;  so  this  was  a  wrong  toward 
Samuel.  It  was  not  with  Samuel  and  his  children,  Idel  and 
Abia,  like  as  with  Eli2  and  his  children,  Ophnia  and  Phinees. 
They  were  cruel,  who  with  hooks  taking  the  flesh  out  of  the 
pots,  when  that  sacrifice  was  offered  to  God,  brought  the 
people  into  a  contempt  of  God's  word.  They  were  lecherers ; 
their  sin  was  manifestly  and  notoriously  known :  but  their 
father  Eli,  knowing  and  hearing  of  it,  did  blame  them,  but 
nothing  to  the  purpose ;  he  did  not  earnestly  and  substan- 
tially chastise  them,  and  therefore  he  was  justly  deposed  of 
God.  The  sins  of  Samuel's  sons  were  not  known ;  they  were 
not  so  notorious:  wherefore  it  was  not  with  father  Samuel  as 
it  was  with  Eli ;  his  sons'  faults  were  taking  of  bribes,  and 
perverting  of  judgments.  Ye  know  that  bribery  is  a  secret 
fault,  and  therefore  it  was  not  known :  it  was  done  under  a 
colour  and  a  pretence  of  justice,  hiddenly  and  covertly  done: 
therefore  because  it  stood  in  bribes,  it  was  not  like  in  Samuel 
as  in  Eli.  It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  be  in  office ;  for  qui 
attingit  picem  coinquinabitur  ab  ea ;  "He  that  meddleth 
with  pitch  is  like  to  be  spotted  with  it."  Bribes  may  be 
assembled3  to  pitch;  for  even  as  pitch  doth  pollute  their  hands 
that  meddle  with  it,  so  bribes  will  bring  you  to  perverting  of 
justice.  Beware  of  pitch,  you  judges  of  the  world  ;  bribes  will 
make  you  pervert  justice,  "Why,"  you  will  say,  "we  touch 
none."  No,  marry,  but  my  mistress  your  wife  hath  a  fine  finger, 
she  toucheth  it  for  you :  or  else  you  have  a  servant,  a  mune- 
ribus;  he  will  say,  "  If  you  will  come  to  my  master  and  offer 
him  a  yoke  of  oxen,  you  shall  speed  never  the  worse ;  but  I 
think  my  master  will  take  none."  When  he  hath  offered 
them  to  the  master,  then  comes  another  servant  and  says, 
"  If  you  will  bring  them  to  the  clerk  of  the  kitchen,  you 
shall  be  remembered  the  better."  This  is  a  friarly  fashion, 
that  will  receive  no  money  in  their  hands,  but  will  have  it 
put   upon   their   sleeves;    a  goodly  rag   of  popish   religion. 

[!  and  judges,  1562;  the  judges,  1571,  1584.] 
[-'  his  children  like  as  with  Eli,  1549,  1562.] 
[3  assembled:    i.  e.  assimilated,  likened.] 


XI.]  KING     EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  ]  S!J 

They  be  like  Gray  Friars,  that  will  not  be  seen  to  receive 
bribes  themselves,  but  have  others  to  receive  for  them4. 

Though  Samuel's  sons  were  privy  bribers,  and  kept  the 
thing  very  close,  yet  the  cry  of  the  people  brought  it  to 
Samuel.  It  was  a  hid  kind  of  sin:  for  men  in  this  point 
would  face  it,  and  brazen  it,  and  make  a  shew  of  upright 
dealing,  when  they  be  most  guilty.  Nevertheless,  this  gear 
came  out.  O  wicked  sons,  that  brought  both  their  father 
to  deposition,  and  themselves  to  shame !  When  Samuel  Samuel 
heard  of  their  fault,  he  went  not  about  to  excuse  their  faults:  bepartaker 

of  his  sons' 

he  would  not  bear  with  his  sons,  he  would  not  communicare  f^e%  .,. 
])eccatis  alienis,  be  partaker  with  his  sons1  offences :  he  said, 
Ego  senui,  ecce  filii  mei  vobiscum  sunt.  As  soon  as  he 
heard  of  it,  he  delivered  his  sons  to  the  people  to  be  punished. 
He  went  not  about  to  excuse  them,  nor  said  not,  "  This  is  the 
first  time,  bear  with  them ;"  but  presented  them  by  and  by 
to  the  people,  saying,  "  Lo,  here  they  be,  take  them,  do  with 
them  according  to  their  deserts."  Oh,  I  would  there  were 
no  more  bearers  of  other  men's  sins  than  this  good  father 
Samuel  was ! 

I  heard  of  late  of  a  notable  bloodshed:   "Audio,"  saith         , 
St  Paul ;   and  so  do  I :    I  know  it  not,  but  I  hear  of  it. 
There  was  a  searcher  in  London  which,  executing  his  office,  This 
displeased  a  merchantman,  insomuch  that  when  he  was  doing andu y/t 
his  office  they  were  at  words :  the  merchantman  threatened 
him ;  the  searcher  said  the  king  should  not  lose  his  custom. 
The  merchant  goes  me  home,  and  sharpens  his  wood-knife, 
and  comes  again  and  knocks  him  on  the  head,  and  kills  him. 
They  that  told  me  the  tale  say  it  is  winked  at ;  they  look 
through  their  fingers,  and  will  not  see  it.      Whether  it  be 
taken  up  with  a  pardon,  or  no,  I  cannot  tell ;  but  this  I  am 
sure,  and  if  ye  bear  with  such  matters,  the  devil  shall  bear 
you  away  to  hell.      Bloodshed  and  murder  would  have  no 

[4  The  following  is  the  rule  of  the  Franciscans  or  Gray  Friars, 
which  obliged  them  to  resort  to  the  ingenious  expedient  mentioned 
by  bishop  Latimer:  "Prsecipio  firmiter  Fratribus  universis,  ut  nullo 
modo  denarios  vel  pecuniam  recipiant  vel  per  se,  vel  per  personam 
interpositam."  There  is  a  little  discrepancy  as  it  respects  the  prac- 
tice of  the  Gray  Friars,  and  the  clause,  vel  per  personam  interpo- 
sitam. Hospinian,  De  Origine  Monachatus,  pp.  406,  415:  Holsten. 
Codex  Regularum,  Tom.  in.  pp.  24,  31.] 


190 


FIFTH    SERMON     PREACHED     BEFORE 


[SERM. 


Wilful  mur- 
der cannot 
be  purged 
without 
blood-shed- 
ding. 


A  strange 
and  wicked 
murder. 


bearing.  It  is  a  heinous  thing  bloodshedding,  and  especially 
voluntary  murder  and  prepensed  murder.  For  in  Numbers 
God  saith,  it  polluteth  the  whole  realm :  Polluitur  ilia  terra, 
&c,  et  non  potest  expiari  sine  sanguine ;  "  The  land  cannot 
be  purified  nor  cleansed  again,  till  his  blood  be  shed  that 
shed  it."  It  is  the  office  of  a  king  to  see  such  murderers 
punished  with  death;  for  non  frustra  gestat  gladium.  What 
will  you  make  of  a  king  ?  He  beareth  a  sword  before  him, 
not  a  peacock's  feather.  I  go  not  about  to  stir  you  now  to 
cruelty ;  but  I  speak  against  the  bearing  of  bloodshed :  this 
bearing  must  be  looked  upon.  In  certain  causes  of  murder 
such  great  circumstances  may  be,  that  the  king  may  pardon 
a  murder1.  But  if  I  were  worthy  to  be  of  counsel,  or  if 
I  were  asked  mine  advice,  I  would  not  have  the  lung  to 
pardon  a  voluntary  murder,  a  prepensed2  murder. 

I  can  tell  where  one  man  slew  another  in  a  township, 
and  was  attached  upon  the  same  :  twelve  men  were  im- 
panelled :  the  man  had  friends :  the  sheriff  laboured  the 
bench :  the  twelve  men  stuck  at  it,  and  said,  "  Except  he 
would  disburse  twelve  crowns,  they  would  find  him  guilty." 
Means  were  found  that  the  twelve  crowns  were  paid.  The 
quest  comes  in,  and  says  "  Not  guilty."  Here  was  "  not 
guilty"  for  twelve  crowns.  This  is  a  bearing,  and  if  some 
of  the  bench  were  hanged,  they  were  well  served.  This 
makes  men  bold  to  do  murder  and  slaughter.  We  should 
reserve  murdering  till  we  come  to  our  enemies,  and  the  king3 
bid  us  fight :  he  that  would  bestir  him  then  were  a  pretty 
fellow  indeed.  Crowns !  if  their  crowns  were  shaven  to  the 
shoulders,  they  were  served  well  enough. 

I  know  where  a  woman  was  got  with  child,  and  was 
ashamed  at  the  matter,  and  went  into  a  secret  place,  where 
she  had  no  woman  at  her  travail,  and  was  delivered  of 
three  children  at  a  birth.  She  wrung  their  necks,  and  cast 
them  into  a  water,  and  so  killed  her  children :  suddenly  she 
was  gaunt4  again;  and  her  neighbours  suspecting  the  matter, 
caused  her  to  be  examined,  and  she  granted  all.  Afterward 
she  was  arraigned  at  the  bar  for  it,  and  despatched  and 
found  not  guilty,  through  bearing  of  friends,  and  bribing  of 

[!  a  murderer,  1549.] 

[2  pretensed,  15G2,  and  most  of  the  other  editions.] 

[3  and  while  the  king,  1549.]  [4  gaunt:  thin,  slender.]. 


XI.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  191 

the  judge :  where,  at  the  same  sessions,  another  poor  woman 
was  hanged  for  stealing  a  few  rags  off  a  hedge  that  were 
not  worth  a  crown. 

There  was  a  certain  gentleman,  a  professor  of  the  word  The  history 
of  God,  (he  sped  never  the  better  for  that,  ye  may  be  sure,)  man?*1 
who  was  accused  for  murdering  of  a  man,  whereupon  he  was 
cast  into  prison ;  and  by  chance,  as  he  was  in  prison,  one  of 
his  friends  came  unto  him  for  to  visit  him ;  and  he  declared 
to  his  friend  that  he  was  never  guilty  in  the  murdering  of 
the  man:  so  he  went  his  ways.  The  gentleman  was  arraign- 
ed and  condemned ;  and  as  he  went  to  his  execution,  he  saw 
his  friend's  servant,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Commend  me  to 
thy  master,  and  I  pray  thee  tell  him,  I  am  the  same  man 
still  I  was  when  he  was  with  me ;  and  if  thou  tarry  awhile, 
thou  shalt  see  me  die."  There  was  suit  made  for  this  man's 
pardon,  but  it  could  not  be  gotten.  Belike  the  sheriffs  or 
some  other  bare  him  no  good  will :  but  he  died  for  it.  And 
afterward,  I  being  in  the  Tower,  having  leave  to  come  to 
the  lieutenant's  table,  I  heard  him  say,  that  there  was  a  man 
hanged  afterward  that  killed  the  same  man  for  whom  this  corruption 
gentleman  was  put  to  death.  0  Lord,  what  bearing,  what 
bolstering  of  naughty  matters  is  this  in  a  christian  realm ! 
I  desire  your  Majesty  to  remedy  the  matter,  and  God  grant 
you  to  see  redress  in  this  realm  in  your  own  person. 
Although  my  lord  Protector,  I  doubt  not,  and  the  rest  of 
the  council  do,  in  the  mean  while,  all  that  lieth  in  them 
to  redress  things ;   I  would  such  as  be  rulers,  noblemen,  and  a  good  ad- 

,         .  .    ,  ...  ....  .  „     vertisement 

masters,  should  be  at  this  point  with  their  servants,  to  certitv  to  aH  that  are 

x  ''in  authority. 

them  on  this  sort :  If  any  man  go  about  to  do  you  wrong,  I 
will  do  my  best  to  help  you  in  your  right ;  but  if  ye  break 
the  law,  ye  shall  have  justice.  If  ye  will  be  man-quellers, 
murderers,  and  transgressors,  look  for  no  bearing  at  my 
hands.  A  strange  thing !  What  need  we  in  the  vengeance 
to  burden  ourselves  with  other  men's  sins?  Have  we  not  sins 
enow  of  our  own  ?  What  need  have  I  to  burden  myself 
with  other  men's  sins  ?  I  have  burdens  and  two  heaps  of 
sins,  one  heap  of  known  sins,  another  of  unknown  sins.  I 
had  need  to  say,  Ab  occultis  meis  munda  me,  Domine ;  "  0 
Lord,  deliver  me  from  my  hidden  and  my  unknown  sins." 
Then  if  I  bear  with  other  men's  sins,  I  must  say :  Deliver 
me  from  my  other  men's  sins.     A  strange  saying :  from  my 


192 


FIFTH     SERMOX     PREACHED    BEFORE 


purgeth  him- 
self of  taking 
any  bribes. 


other  men's  sins !  Who  beareth  with  other  folks'  offences,  he 

ilalrb™11    communicateth  with  other  folks'  sins.      Men  have  sins  enough 

uiten'witn7    °^  tneu>  own'  although  they  bear  not  and  bolster  up  other 

hiSaownsL.  men  m  their  naughtiness.      This  bearing,  this  bolstering,  and 

looking  through  their  fingers,  is  naught.      What  the  fair  hap 

should  I,  or  any  else,  increase  my  burden?    My  other  men's 

sins  forgive  me,   0  Lord :    a   strange  language !    they  have 

hid  sins  of  their  own  enough,  although  they  bear  not  with 

guiltiness  of  other  men's  sins. 

Oh,  father  Samuel  would  not  bear  his  own  sons ;  he 
offered  his  own  sons  to  punishment,  and  said,  Ecce  filii  mei 
vobiscum  sunt:  even  at  the  first  time  he  said,  "Lo,  here  they 
be  :  I  discharge  myself ;  take  them  unto  you :  and  as  for 
my  part,  Prcesto  sum  loqui  coram  Domino  et  Christo  ejus ; 
I  am  here  ready  to  answer  for  myself  before  the  Lord,  and 
his  anointed.  Behold,  here  I  am,  record  of  me  before  the 
Lord,  utrum  cvjusquam  bovem,  &c,  whether  I  have  taken 
any  man's  ox,  any  man's  ass,  or  whether  I  have  done  any 
man  wrong,  or  hurt  any  man,  or  taken  any  bribes  at  any 
man's  hand."  I  can  commend  the  English  translation,  that 
doth  interpret  munera,  bribes,  not  gifts.  They  answered, 
"  Nay,  forsooth,  we  know  no  such  things  in  you."  Testis  est 
mihi  Deus,  saith  he,  "  God  is  witness,"  quod  nihil  in- 
veneritis  in  manu  mea,  "that  you  have  found  nought  in 
my  hands."  Few  such  Samuels  are  in  England,  nor  in  the 
world.  Why  did  Samuel  this  ?  Marry,  to  purge  himself ;  he 
was  enforced  to  it,  for  he  was  wrongly  deposed. 

Then  by  this  ye  may  perceive  the  fault  of  the  Jews,  for 
they  offended  not  God  in  asking  of  a  king,  but  in  asking  for 
a  king  to  the  wronging  and  deposition  of  good  father  Samuel. 
If  after  Samuel's  death  the  people  had  asked  of  God  a  king, 
a  great  fault  they  had  not  faulted  :  but  it  is  no  small  fault  to  put  an 
innocent  out  of  his  office.  King  David  likewise  commanded 
his  people  to  be  numbered,  and  therewith  offended  God 
grievously.  Why,  might  he  not  know  the  number  of  his 
people  ?  Yes,  it  was  not  the  numbering  of  the  people  that 
offended  God,  for  a  king  may  number  Ms  people ;  but  he  did 
it  of  a  pride,  of  an  elation  of  mind,  not  according  to  God's 
ordinance,  but  as  having  a  trust  in  the  number  of  his  men  : 
this  offended  God.  Likewise  the  Jews  asked  a  king,  and 
therewith  they'  offended  not  God ;  but  they  asked  him  with 


to  wrong  an 
innoeerj 


XI.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  193 

such  circumstances,  that  God  was  offended  with  them.  It  is 
no  small  fault  to  put  a  just  man  out  of  his  office,  and  to 
depose  him  unworthily.  To  choose  a  king  contrarying  the 
ordinance  of  God,  is  a  casting  away  of  God,  and  not  of  a 
king.  Therefore  doubt  not  hut  the  title  of  a  king  is  a  lawful 
thing,  is  a  lawful  title,  as  of  other  magistrates.  Only  let  the 
kings  take  heed  that  they  do  as  it  becometh  kings  to  do, 
that  they  do  their  office  well.      It  is  a  great  tiling,  a  charge-  a  king  is  a 

..  _  &  °  .  great  and 

able  thing.    Let  them  beware  that  they  do  not  communicare  ^|eabl2 

peccatis  alienis,  that  they  bear  not  with  other  men's  faults ; 

for   they  shall   give  a  strait  account  for  all  that  perisheth 

through  their  negligence.     We  perceive  now  what  this  text 

meaneth.     It  is  written  in  the  last  of  Judges,  In  diebus  illis 

non  erat  rex  in  Israel :    "  In  those  days  there  was  no  king 

in  Israel;    every  man  did  that  which  seemed  right  in  his 

own  eyes."     Men  were  then  allowed  to  do  what  they  would. 

When  men  may  be  allowed  to  do  what  they  will,  then  it  is 

as  good  to  have  no  king  at  all.     Here  is  a  wonderful  matter, 

that  unpreaching  prelates  should  be  suffered  so  long.     They  unpreaehing 

can  allege  for  themselves  seven  hundred  years.     This  while 

the  realm  had  been  as  good  to  have  no  king.    Likewise  these 

bribing  judges  have  been  suffered  of  a  long  time  :  and  then  it 

was  quasi  non  fuisset  rex  in  Anglia.     To  suffer  this  is  as 

much  as  to  say,   "  There  is  no  king  in  England."     It  is  the 

duty  of  a  king  to  have  all  states  set  in  order  to  do  their 

office. 

I  have  troubled  you  too  long,  I  will  make  an  end1. 
"  Blessed  be  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God,,,  but  so  that 
they  follow  it,  and  keep  it  in  credit,  in  memory,  not  to 
deprave  it  and  slander  it,  and  bring  the  preachers  out  of 
credit,  but  that  follow  it  in  their  life  and  live  after  it.  He 
grant  you  all  that  blessing,  that  made  both  you  and  me ! 
Amen. 

p  make  an  end  briefly:   Beati  qui  audiunt  verba  Dei.  1549.] 


13 


194  SIXTH    SERM0X     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sEhM. 


THE    SIXTH   SERMON   PREACHED  BEFORE    KING   EDWARD, 
APRIL   TWELFTH,   [1549.] 


ROMANS  XV.  [4.] 

Qucecunque  scrlpta  stmt,  ad  nostram  doctrinam  scripla  sunt. 
All  things  that  are  written,  they  are  written  to  be  our  doctrine. 

What  doctrine  is  written  for  us  in  the  eighth  chapter  of 
the  first  book  of  the  Kings,  I  did  partly  shew  unto  you,  most 
honourable  audience,  this  day  sennight,  of  that  good  man, 
father  Samuel,  that  good  judge,  how  good  a  man  he  was, 
what  helpers  and  coadjutors  he  took  unto  him,  to  have  Iris 
office  well  discharged.  I  told  you  also  of  the  wickedness  of 
his  sons,  how  they  took  bribes,  and  lived  wickedly,  and  by 
that  means  brought  both  their  father  and  themselves  to  de- 
position ;  and  how  the  people  did  offend  God,  in  asking  a 
king  in  father  Samuel's  time ;  and  how  father  Samuel  was 
put  from  his  office,  who  deserved  it  not.  I  opened  to  you 
also,  how  father  Samuel  cleared1  himself,  that  he  knew  not 
the  faults  of  his  sons ;  he  was  no  bearer  with  his  sons,  he 
was  sorry  for  it,  when  he  heard  it,  but  he  would  not  bear 
me  fruits  of  with  them  in  their  wickedness:  filii  mei  vobiscum  sunt;  "My 
sons  are  with  you,"  saith  he,  "  do  with  them  according  to 
their  deserts.  I  will  not  maintain  them,  nor  bear  with  them." 
After  that,  he  clears  himself  at  the  king's  feet,  that  the  people 
had  nothing  to  burthen  him  withal,  neither  money,  nor  money 
worth.  In  treating  of  that  part  I  chanced  to  shew  you  what 
I  heard  of  a  man  that  was  slain,  and  I  hear  say  it  was  not 
well  taken.  Forsooth,  I  intended2  not  to  impair  any  man's 
estimation  or  honesty,  and  they  that  enforce  it  to  that,  enforce 
it  not  to  my  meaning.  I  said  I  heard  but  of  such  a  thing,  and 
took  occasion  by  that  that  I  heard  to  speak  against  the  thing 
that  I  knew  to  be  naught,  that  no  man  should  bear  with  any 
man  to  the  maintenance  of  voluntary  and  prepensed  murder. 
And  I  hear   say   since,   the  man  was   otherwise  an  honest 

[i  clears,  1549,  1562.] 

[2  intend,  1549,  1562,  1571.] 


propl 


XII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  ]  !).r) 

man,  and  they  that  spake  for  him  are  honest  men.  I 
am  inclinable  enough  to  credit  it.  I  spake  not  because  I 
would  have  any  man's  honesty  impaired.      Only  I  did,  as  St  Poachers 

«  </  I  </  7  by  hearing 

Paul  did,  who  hearing  of  the  Corinthians,  that  there  should  Sft^jgjg*" 
be  contentions  and  misorder  among  them,  did  write  unto against  Vlce- 
them  that  he  heard ;  and  thereupon,  by  occasion  of  hearing, 
he  set  forth  the  very  wholesome  doctrine  of  the  Supper  of 
the  Lord.  We  might  not  have  lacked  that  doctrine,  I  tell 
you.  Be  it  so,  the  Corinthians  had  no  such  contentions 
among  them,  as  Paul  wrote  of;  be  it  so,  they  had  not  mis- 
ordered  themselves :  it  was  neither  off  nor  on  to  that  that 
Paul  said :  the  matter  lay  in  that,  that  upon  hearing  he 
would  take  occasion  to  set  out  the  good  and  true  doctrine. 
So  I  did  not  affirm  it  to  be  true  that  I  heard ;  I  spake  it  to 
advertise  you  to  beware  of  bearing  with  wilful  and  prepensed 
murder.  I  would  have  nothing  enforced  against  any  man : 
this  was  mine  intent  and  meaning.      I  do  not  know  what  ye  voluntary 

O  J       murder 

call  chance-medley  in  the  law  ;  it  is  not  for  my  study.  I  am  J^ncfrmwi 
a  scholar  in  scripture,  in  God's  book ;  I  study  that.  I  know  Iey- 
what  voluntary  murder  is  before  God :  if  I  shall  fall  out  with 
a  man,  he  is  angry  with  me,  and  I  with  him,  and  lacking 
opportunity  and  place,  we  shall  put  it  off  for  that  time  ;  in  the 
mean  season  I  prepare  my  weapon,  and  sharp  it  against 
another  time ;  I  swell  and  boil  in  this  passion  towards  him ;  I 
seek  him,  we  meddle  together;  it  is  my  chance,  by  reason  my 
weapon  is  better  than  his,  and  so  forth,  to  kill  him ;  I  give 
him  his  death-stroke  in  my  vengeance  and  anger :  this  call  I 
voluntary  murder  in  scripture ;  what  it  is  in  the  law,  I  cannot 
tell.  It  is  a  great  sin,  and  therefore  I  call  it  voluntary.  I 
remember3  what  a  great  clerk  writeth  of  this4:   Omne  pecea-  Every  sin  is 

&  r  wilful,  or 

turn  adeo  est  voluntarhim,  ut  nisi  sit  voluntarium  non  sit  fise  it  cannot 

be  called 

peccatum:  "Every  sin,"  saith  he,  "is  so  voluntary,  that  ifsin- 
it  be  not  voluntary,  it  cannot  be  called  sin."  Sin  is  no  actual 
sin,  if  it  be  not  voluntary.  I  would  we  would  all  know  our 
faults  and  repent :  that  that  is  done,  is  done ;  it  cannot  be 
called  back  again.  God  is  merciful,  the  king  is  merciful:  here 
we  may  repent,  this  is  the  place  of  repentance ;  when  we  are 
gone  hence,  it  is  too  late  then  to  repent.     And  let  us  be  con- 

[3  I  very  well  remember,  1607.] 

[4  Augustin.    De  vera  Relig.  c.  xiv.     Oper.  Tom.  i.  col.  564,  Edit. 
Bened.  Antverp.  1700.] 

13—2 


196 


SIXTH    SERMON     PREACHED    P.EFORE 


[SERM. 


Wilful  mur- 
der cannot 
be  borne 
withal. 


Whoredom 
is  to  be  ab- 
horred. 


Places  in  the 
city  of  Lon- 
don, exempt- 
ed from  the 
jurisdiction 
of  the 
mayor,  are 
shamefully 
used. 


Shooting  is 
a  game  com- 
mendable, 
but  dicing  is 
abominable. 


tent  with  such  order  as  the  magistrates  shall  take :  but  sure  it 
is  a  perilous  thing  to  bear  with  any  such  matter.  I  told  you 
what  I  heard  say ;  I  would  have  no  man's  honesty  impaired 
by  my  telling.  I  heard  say  since  of  another  murder,  that  a 
Spaniard  should  kill  an  Englishman,  and  run  him  through 
with  his  sword ;  they  say  he  was  a  tall  man :  but  I  hear  not 
that  the  Spaniard  was  hanged  for  his  labour;  if  I  had,  I 
would  have  told  you  it  too.  They  fell  out,  as  the  tale  goeth, 
about  a  whore.  0  Lord,  what  whoredom  is  used  now-a-days, 
as  I  hear  by  the  relation  of  honest  men,  which  tell  it  not  after 
a  worldly  sort,  as  though  they  rejoiced  at  it,  but  heavily, 
with  heavy  hearts,  how  God  is  dishonoured  by  whoredom  in 
this  city  of  London ;  yea,  the  Bank l,  when  it  stood,  was 
never  so  common!  If  it  be  true  that  is  told,  it  is  marvel  that 
it  doth  not  sink,  and  that  the  earth  gapeth  not  and  swallow- 
eth  it  up.  It  is  wonderful  that  the  city  of  London  doth  suffer 
such  whoredom  unpunished.  God  hath  suffered  long  of  his 
great  lenity,  mercy,  and  benignity  ;  but  he  will  punish  sharply 
at  the  length,  if  we  do  not  repent.  There  is  some  place  in 
London2,  as  they  say,  "Immunity,  impunity:"  what  should 
I  call  it?  A  privileged  place  for  whoredom.  The  lord 
mayor  hath  nothing  to  do  there,  the  sheriffs  they  cannot 
meddle  with  it ;  and  the  quest  they  do  not  inquire  of  it :  and 
there  men  do  bring  their  whores,  yea,  other  men's  wives, 
and  there  is  no  reformation  of  it. 

There  be  such  dicing  houses  also,  they  say,  as  hath  not 
been  wont  to  be,  where  young  gentlemen  dice  away  their 
thrift ;  and  where  dicing  is,  there  are  other  follies  also.  For 
the  love  of  God  let  remedy  be  had,  let  us  wrestle  and  strive 
against  sin.  Men  of  England,  in  times  past,  when  they  would 
exercise  themselves,  (for  we  must  needs  have  some  recreation, 
our  bodies  cannot  endure  without  some  exercise,)  they  were 
wont  to  go  abroad  in  the  fields  a  shooting ;  but  now  it  is 
turned  into  glossing3,  gulling,  and  whoring  within  the  house. 
The  art  of  shooting  hath  been  in  times  past  much  esteemed 

[1  The  Bank-side  in  Southwark,  mentioned  above.] 
[2  The  precinct  of  St  Martin-le-Grand,  originally  a  sanctuary,  and 
which  retained  its  extra-civic  immunity,  and  was  regarded  as  "a  privi- 
leged place,"  long  after  sanctuaries  had  been  suppressed.     Kempe, 
Historical  Notices  of  the  Church  of  St  Martin-le-Grand.] 
[3  boiling,  glossing  and,  1562.] 


XII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  197 

in  this  realm :  it  is  a  gift  of  God  that  he  hath  given  us  to 
excel  all  other  nations  withal:  it  hath  been  God's  instrument, 
whereby  he  hath  given  us  many  victories4  against  our  ene- 
mies :  but  now  we  have  taken  up  whoring  in  towns,  instead 
of  shooting  in  the  fields.  A  wondrous  thing,  that  so  excellent 
a  gift  of  God  should  be  so  little  esteemed  I  I  desire  you,  my 
lords,  even  as  ye  love  the  honour  and  glory  of  God,  and 
intend  to  remove  his  indignation,  let  there  be  sent  forth  some 
proclamation,  some  sharp  proclamation  to  the  justices  of  peace, 
for  they  do  not  their  duty :  justices  now  be  no  justices. 
There  be  many  good  acts5  made  for  this  matter  already. 
Charge  them  upon  their  allegiance,  that  this  singular  benefit 
of  God  may  be  practised,  and  that  it  be  not  turned  into 
bowling,  glossing,  and  whoring  within  the  towns ;  for  they 
be  negligent  in  executing  these  laws  of  shooting.  In  my 
time  my  poor  father  was  as  diligent  to  teach  mo  to  shoot,  as 
to  learn  me  any  other  thing ;  and  so  I  think  other  men  did 
their  children  :  he  taught  me  how  to  draw,  how  to  lay  my 
body  hi  my  bow,  and  not  to  draw  with  strength  of  arms,  as 
other6  nations  do,  but  with  strength  of  the  body  :  I  had  my 
bows  bought  me,  according  to  my  age  and  strength ;  as  I  in- 
creased in  them,  so  my  bows  were  made  bigger  and  bigger ; 
for  men  shall  never  shoot  well,  except  they  be  brought  up  in 
it :  it  is  a  goodly  art,  a  wholesome  kind  of  exercise,  and 
much  commended  in  physic. 

Marcilius  Phicinus7,  in  his  book  De  triplici  vita,  (it  is  a  shooting  iS 
great  while  since  I  read  him  now,)  but  I  remember  he  com-  of  Mafdiius 

°  .  .  .  Phicinus. 

mendeth  this  kind  of  exercise,  and  saith,  that  it  wrestleth 
against  many  kinds  of  diseases.     In  the  reverence  of  God  let 

[4  Thus  also  Paulus  Jovius  observes :  "  Apud  Anglos  in  sagittis  unica 
spes,  et  prsecipua  gloria  crebris  victoriarum  proventibus  parta."  De- 
scriptio  Britannia?,  &c.  p.  16,  Venet.  1548.] 

[5  The  preamble  to  the  then  recent  act,  33  Hen.  VIII.  c.  9,  "For 
the  maintaining  artillery,  and  the  debarring  of  unlawful  games,"  con- 
firms, almost  to  the  letter,  all  that  the  preacher  here  asserts  respecting 
the  change  in  the  habits  and  recreations  of  the  people.  See  also 
Stow,  Survey  of  London,  edited  by  Strype,  Vol.  I.  pp.  246,  et  seq.] 

[6  as  divers  other,  1607.] 

[7  The  preacher  seems  to  refer  to  Ficino's  treatise  De  vita,  lib.  n. 
c.  4.  sub  fin.,  where  exercise  is  recommended.  This  author  was  a 
Florentine  physician  by  birth,  the  friend,  and,  in  part,  the  preceptor 
of  Lorenzo  de  Medici,  to  whom  the  treatise  referred  to  is  dedicated.] 


Simon's  boat. 


198  SIXTH     SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

it  be  continued ;  let  a  proclamation  go  forth,  charging  the 
justices  of  peace,  that  they  see  such  acts  and  statutes  kept 
as  were  made  for  this  purpose. 

I  will  to  my  matter.  I  intend  this  day  to  entreat  of  a 
piece  of  scripture  written  in  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  chapter 
of  Luke.  I  am  occasioned  to  take  this  place  by  a  book1  sent 
to  the  king's  majesty  that  dead  is  by  master  Pole.  It  is  a 
text  that  he  doth  greatly  abuse  for  the  supremacy:  he  racks 
it,  and  violates  it,  to  serve  for  the  maintenance  of  the  bishop 
of  Rome.  And  as  he  did  enforce  the  other  place,  that  I  en- 
treated of  last,  so  did  he  enforce  this  also,  to  serve  his  matter. 
The  story  is  this :  our  Saviour  Christ  was  come  now  to  the 
bank  of  the  water  of  Genezareth.  The  people  were  come  to 
him,  and  flocked  about  him  to  hear  him  preach.  And  Jesus 
jesus  sat  in  took  a  boat  that  was  standing  at  the  pool,  (it  was  Simon's 
boat,)  and  went  into  it.  And  sitting  in  the  boat,  he  preached 
to  them  that  were  on  the  bank.  And  when  he  had  preached 
and  taught  them,  he  spake  to  Simon,  and  bade  him  launch 
out  further  into  the  deep,  and  loose2  his  nets  to  catch  fish. 
And  Simon  made  answer  and  said,  "Master,  we  have  laboured 
all  night,  but  we  caught  nothing  :  howbeit,  at  thy  command- 
ment, because  thou  biddest  us,  we  will  go  to  it  again."  And 
so  they  did,  and  caught  a  great  draught,  a  miraculous  draught, 
so  much  that  the  net  brake ;  and  they  called  to  their  fellows 
that  were  by  (for  they  had  two  boats)  to  come  to  help  them ; 
and  they  came,  and  filled  both  their  boats  so  full,  that  they 
were  nigh  drowning. 

This  is  the  story.  That  I  may  declare  this  text  so  that 
it  may  be  to  the  honour  of  God,  and  edification  of  your  souls 
and  mine  both,  I  shall  desire  you  to  help  me  with  your 
prayer,  in  the  which,  &c. 

Factum  est  autem  (saith  the  text)  cum  turba  irrueret  in 
eum.  St  Luke  tells  the  story,  "  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
the  people  pressed  upon  him,  so  that  he  was  in  peril  to  be 
cast  into  the  pond,  they  rushed  so  fast  upon  him,  and  made 
such  throng  to  him."  A  wondrous  thing :  what  a  desire  the 
people  had  in  those  days  to  hear  our  Saviour  Christ  preach ! 
And  the  cause  may  be  gathered  of  the  latter  end  of  the  chapter 
that  went  before.  Our  Saviour  Christ  had  preached  unto 
them,  and  healed  the  sick  folks  of  such  diseases  and  mala- 
[l  See  above,  p.  173.]  [2  and  let  loose,  1607.] 


XII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  199 

dies  as  they  had,  and  therefore  the  people  would  have  retained 

him  still:  but  he  made  them  answer,  and  said,  Et  aliis  civi-  Lukew. 

tatibus  oportet  me  evangelizare  regnum  Dei,  nam  in  hoc  Christ 

missus  sum :  "I  must  preach  the  kingdom  of  God  to  other  kiligZ!  llly 

cities  also :  I  must  shew  them  my  Father's  will,  for  I  came 

for  that  purpose :  I  was  sent  to  preach  the  word  of  God." 

Our  Saviour  Christ  said,  how  he  must  not  tarry  in  one  place: 

for  he  was  sent  to  the  world,  to  preach  everywhere.     Is  it  An  example 

not  a  marvellous  thing,  that  our  unpreaching  prelates   can  our  un- 

0  i  o     r  preaching 

read  this  place,  and  yet  preach  no  more  than  they  do?  I  prelates." 
marvel  that  they  can  go  quietly   to  bed,  and  see  how  he 
allureth  them  with  his  example  to  be  diligent  in  their  office. 
Here  is  a  godly  lesson  also,  how  our  Saviour  Christ  fled  from  our  saviour 

t  ^f      i  i  •   •  i  t      i  i  i        fled  from 

glory.  It  these  ambitious  persons,  that  chmb  to  honour  by  g'ory. 
by-walks  inordinately,  would  consider  this  example  of  Jesus 
Christ,  they  should  come  to  more  honour  than  they  do ;  for 
when  they  seek  honour  by  such  by-walks,  they  come  to  con- 
fusion. Honour  followeth  them  that  flee  from  it.  Our  Saviour 
Christ  gat  him  away  early  in  the  morning,  and  went  unto  the 
wilderness.  I  would  they  would  follow  this  example  of  Christ, 
and  not  seek  honour  by  such  by-walks  as  they  do.  But 
what  did  the  people,  when  he  had  hid  himself  ?  They  smelled  The  com- 

,  .  ...  ,  .  .  _  mon  people 

him  out  in  the  wilderness,   and  came  unto   him    by  flocks,  smeiied  out 

"  '  Christ  in  the 

and   followed  him  a  great  number.      But  where    read   you  ^JffXwed 
that  a  great  number  of  scribes  and    Pharisees   and   bishops  buTsohdideno't 
followed  him?    There  is  a  doctor  that  writeth  of  this  place;  [he Pharisees, 
his  name  is  doctor    Gorrham,    Nicholas    Gorrham3:    I  knew nor  blbhops' 
him  to  be  a  school-doctor  a  great  while  ago,  but  I  never 
knew  him  to  be  an  interpreter  of  scripture  till  now  of  late : 
he   saith   thus  4 :   Major  devotio  in  laicis  vetulis  quam  in 
clericis,  fyc,  "There  is  more  devotion,"  saith  he,  "in  lay -folk, 
and  old  wives,  these  simple  folk,  the  vulgar  people,  than  in 
the   clerks 5 :"  they  be   better  affected  to  the  word  of  God 

[3  Or  Nicholas  de  Gorrain,  a  learned  Dominican,  whose  printed 
works  consist  of  Commentaries  on  the  New  Testament  and  Sermons. 
If  one  may  judge  from  the  frequency  with  which  his  opinions  are 
quoted  by  preachers  in  the  fifteenth  century,  he  seems  to  have  been 
a  popular  authority.  Yet  scarcely  any  thing  is  certainly  known  of 
him.  He  is  supposed  to  have  died  about  the  year  1400.  Cave,  Historia 
Literar.  Append,  p.  86,  Oxon.  1743.] 

[4  Commentaria  in  quatuor  Evangelia,  fol.  327,  edit.  Colonise  1537.] 

[5  the  great  clerks,  1607.] 


200  SIXTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

than  those  that  be  of  the  clergy.  I  marvel  not  at  the  sen- 
tence, but  I  marvel  to  find  such  a  sentence  in  such  a  doctor. 
If  I  should  say  so  much,  it  would  be  said  to  me,  that  it  is  an 
evil  bird  that  defiles  his  own  nest ;  and,  nemo  Iceditur  nisi 
a  seipso,  "  there  is  no  man  hurt  but  of  his  ownself."  There 
was  verified  the  saying  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  which  he  spake 
in  another  place :  Ubicunque  fuerit  cadaver,  ibi  congrega- 
buntur  aquilai ;  "Wheresoever  a  dead  carrion  is,  thither  will 
the  eagles  gather."  Our  Saviour  Christ  compares  himself  to 
a  dead  carrion;  for  where  the  carrion  is,  there  will  the  eagles 
be :  and  though  it  be  an  evil  smell1  to  us,  and  stinks  in  a 
man's  nose,  yet  it  is  a  sweet  smell  to  the  eagles ;  they  will 
seek  it  out.  So  the  people  sought  out  Christ,  they  smelt 
his  savour ;  he  was  a  sweet  smell  to  them.  He  is  odor  vitaz 
ad  vitam,  "  the  smell  of  life  to  life."  They  flocked  about  him 
like  eagles.  Christ  was  the  carrion,  and  the  people  were  the 
eagles.  They  had  no  pleasure  to  hear  the  scribes  and  the 
Pharisees ;  they  stank  in  their  nose ;  their  doctrine  was  unsa- 
voury ;  it  was  of  lolions2,  of  decimations  of  aniseed  and 
cummin,  and  such  gear.  There  was  no  comfort  in  it  for  sore 
ThePhan-  consciences ;  there  was  no  consolation  for  wounded  souls ; 
wa\',ii.li„f  there  was  no  remedy  for  sins,  as  was  in  Christ's  doctrine. 
sin-  His  doctrine  eased  the  burden  of  the  soul;  it  was  sweet  to  the 

common  people,  and  sour  to  the  scribes.  It  was  such  comfort 
and  pleasure  to  them,  that  they  came  flocking  about  him. 
Wherefore  came  they  ?  Ut  audirent  verbum  Dei.  It  was  a 
good  coming ;  they  came  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  It  was 
not  to  be  thought  that  they  came  all  of  one  mind  to  hear  the 
word  of  God :  it  is  likely,  that  in  so  great  a  multitude  some 
came  of  curiosity,  to  hear  some  novels ;  and  some  came  smell- 
ing a  sweet  savour,  to  have  consolation  and  comfort  of  God's 
word :  for  we  cannot  be  saved  without  hearing  of  the  word ; 
Faijh  cometh  it  is  a  necessary  way  to  salvation.  We  cannot  be  saved 
Godword°f  without  faith,  and  faith  cometh  by  hearing  of  the  word. 
Fides  ex  auditu.  "And  how  shall  they  hear  without  a 
preacher?'"  I  tell  you  it  is  the  footstep  of  the  ladder  of 
heaven,  of  our  salvation.  There  must  be  preachers,  if  we 
look  to  be  saved.      I  told  you  of  this  gradation  before,  in  the 

[l  smell  and  savour,  1607.] 

[2  Infelix  lolium :  "  a  vicious  grayne,  called  ruie  of  darnell,  whiche 
commonlye  groweth  amonge  wlieate."  Eliot.  Biblioth.] 


XII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  201 

tenth  to  the  Romans  :  consider  it  well.  I  had  rather  ye 
should  come  of  a  naughty  mind  to  hear  the  word  of  God  for 
novelty,  or  for  curiosity  to  hear  some  pastime,  than  to  bo 
away.  I  had  rather  ye  should  come  as  the  tale  is  by  the 
gentlewoman  of  London :  one  of  her  neighbours  met  her  in 
the  street,  and  said,  "Mistress,  whither  go  ye  ?"  "  Marry," 
said  she,  "  I  am  going  to  St  Thomas  of  Acres3  to  the  sermon; 
I  could  not  sleep  all  this  last  night,  and  I  am  going  now 
thither  ;  I  never  failed  of  a  good  nap  there."  And  so  I  had 
rather  ye  should  go  a  napping  to  the  sermons,  than  not  to  go  By  cominR 
at  all.      For  with  what  mind  soever  ye  come,  though  ye  come  are'i"! '>'.!" hT 

n  .„  ,  J  i  ,       to  the  know- 

tOr  an  ill  purpose,  yet  peradventure  ye  may  chance  to  be  ledse  °f  Go<1- 

caught  or  ye  go ;   the  preacher  may  chance  to  catch  you  on 

his  hook.      Rather  than  ye  should  not  come  at  all,  I  would 

have  you  come  of  curiosity,  as  St  Augustine  came  to  hear 

St  Ambrose.     When  St  Augustine  came  to  Milan,  (he  tells 

the  story  himself,  in  the  end  of  his  fifth  book  of  Confessions,) 

he  was  very  desirous  to  hear  St  Ambrose,  not  for  any  love  he 

had  to  the  doctrine  that  he  taught,  but  to  hear  his  eloquence, 

whether  it  was  so  great  as  the  speech  was,  and  as  the  bruit  st  Augustine 

went.     Well,  before  he  departed,  St  Ambrose  caught  him  on  Jsermonl 

his  hook,  and  converted  him,  so  that  he  became  of  a  Manichee4,  christian 


iii.ni. 


[3  A  hospital  and  chapel  in  Cheapside,  London,  dedicated  to  St 
Thomas  of  Acre,  heing  built  on  the  spot  formerly  occupied  by  tho 
house  in  which  Thomas  Becket,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  born : 
the  Mercers'  chapel  stands  there  now.  Stow,  Survey  of  London,  edited 
by  Strype,  Vol.  i.  Book  iii.  p.  37.] 

[■*  The  Manichees  were  a  sect  originated  by  Manes,  a  Persian,  who 
having  been  bred  in  the  religion  of  Zoroaster,  became  afterwards  (as 
some  writers  affirm)  a  minister  in  the  christian  Church.  The  main 
object  of  his  heresy  was  to  account  for  the  origin  of  evil.  For  this 
purpose  he  imagined  that  there  were  two  Principles  absolutely  op- 
posed to  each  other ;  the  one  God,  the  original  of  all  good,  light,  and 
purity ;  the  other  the  original  evil,  whose  property  is  only  to  destroy 
and  undo ;  whose  very  being  is  wild  confusion.  The  kingdoms  under 
the  rule  of  these  two  Principles  respectively  having  by  circumstances 
been  brought  into  contact,  the  powers  of  darkness  had  since  then  been 
evermore  warring  against  the  kingdom  of  light;  but  he  supposed  that 
the  latter  would  ultimately  triumph,  so  that  peace  would  be  the  portion 
of  the  dwellers  in  light.  A  fidl  account  of  Manes  and  the  Manichees 
is  given  by  Neander,  History  of  the  Christian  Religion  and  Church, 
translated  by  Rose,  Vol.  n.  pp.  140,  et  seq.] 


202  SIXTH    SERMON    PREACHED    REFORE  [sERM. 

and  of  a  Platonist1,  a  good  Christian,  a  defender  of  Christ's 
religion  and  of  the  faith  afterward.  So  I  would  have  you 
to  come  to  sermons.  It  is  declared  in  many*  places  of  scrip- 
ture, how  necessary  preaching  is ;  as  this,  Evangelium  est 
potentia  Dei  ad  salutem  omni  credenti ;  "  The  preaching 
of  the  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  to  every  man  that  doth 
believe."  He  means  God's  word  opened :  it  is  the  instru- 
ment, and  the  thing  whereby  we  are  saved. 
Preaching  is  Beware,  beware,  ye  diminish  not  this  office  ;  for  if  ye  do, 

an  office  that  "  . 

nrunt'uned    Je  Ciecay  God's  power  to  all  that  do  believe.      Christ  saith, 
consonant  to  the  same,  Nisi  quis  renatus  fuerit  e  supemis, 
non  potest  videre  regnum  Dei :   "  Except  a  man  be  born 
again  from  above,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."     He 
must  have  a  regeneration  :  and  what  is  this  regeneration  ?  It 
is  not  to  be  christened  in  water,  as  these  firebrands  expound 
it,   and  nothing   else.      How   is   it   to   be  expounded  then  ? 
St  Peter  sheweth  that  one  place  of  scripture  declareth  an- 
other.    It  is  the  circumstance,  and  collation  of  places,  that 
makes  scripture  plain.      Begeneramur  autem,  saith  St  Peter, 
"and  we  be  born  again:"  how?   Non  ex  semine  mortali, 
sed  immortali,  "  Not  by  a  mortal  seed,  but  by  an  immortal." 
andiiearingof  What  is  this  immortal  seed  ?  Per  sermonem  Dei  viventis  : 
God,Wweare    "By  the  word  of  the  living  God;"  by  the  word  of  God  preach- 
fromabw".    ed  and  opened.      Thus  cometh  in  our  new  birth. 
The  devii  Here  vou  may  see  how  necessary  this  office  is  to  our 

is  an  enemy  .  .       .  .  . 

to  preach-  salvation.  This  is  the  thing  that  the  devil  wrestleth  most 
against :  it  hath  been  all  his  study  to  decay  this  office.  He 
worketh  against  it  as  much  as  he  can  :  he  hath  prevailed  too 
much,  too  much  in  it.  He  hath  set  up  a  state  of  unpreach- 
ing  prelacy  in  this  realm  this  seven  hundred  year ;  a  stately3 

The  word  of  unpreaching  prelacy.     He  hath  made  unpreaching   prelates ; 

•''•>■"' ,'>y  un-  he  hath  stirred  up  by  heaps  to  persecute  this  office  in  the 

preaching  I         J  I  J: 

prelates. 

[!  Ammonius  Saccas,  a  philosopher  of  the  Alexandrian  school,  was 
the  originator  of  the  later  Platonists.  His  leading  idea  was  to  har- 
monise all  systems — philosophy,  heathenism,  and  Christianity,  so  as  to 
compound  out  of  all  a  nameless  religion,  in  which  the  wise  and  good 
of  every  nation  should  agree,  and  become  united  into  one  vast  family. 
Mosheim,  Comment  on  the  affairs  of  the  Christians  before  Constantine, 
by  Vidal,  pp.  124,  et  seq.] 

[2  many  more  places,  1549,  1562.] 

['3  a  state  of  unpreaching,  1549,  1562:  a  state  unpreaching,  1571.] 


XII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  203 

title  of  heresy.  He  hath  stirred  up  the  magistrates  to  perse- 
cute it  in  the  title  of  sedition,  and  he  hath  stirred  up  the 
people  to  persecute  it  with  exprobations  and  slanderous  words, 
as  by  the  name  of  "new  learning,"  "strange  preaching ;"  and 
with  impropriations  he  hath  turned  preaching  into  private 
masses.  If  a  priest  should  have  left  mass  undone  on  a  Sun- 
day within  these  ten  years,  all  England  should  have  won- 
dered at  it ;  but  they  might  have  left  off  the  sermon  twenty 
Sundays,  and  never  have  been  blamed.  And  thus  by  these 
impropriations  private  masses  were  set  up,  and  preaching4  of 
God's  word  trodden  under  foot.      But  what  doth  he  now?  Thedevii doth 

„  continually 

What  doth  he  now?  He  stirs  men  up  to  outrageous  rearing  ot  travail, 
rents,  that  poor  men  shall  not  be  able  to  find  their  children 
at  the  school  to  be  divines.  What  an  unreasonable  devil  is 
this!  He  provides  a  great  while  beforehand  for  the  time  that 
is  to  come :  he  hath  brought  up  now  of  late  the  most  mon- 
strous kind  of  covetousness  that  ever  was  heard  of :  he  hath 
invented  fee-farming  of  benefices5,  and  all  to  decay  this 
office  of  preaching  ;  insomuch  that,  when  any  man  hereafter 
shall  have  a  benefice,  he  may  go  where  he  will,  for  any  house 
he  shall  have  to  dwell  upon,  or  any  glebe-land  to  keep  hospi- 
tality withal ;  but  he  must  take  up  a  chamber  in  an  alehouse, 
and  there  sit  and  play  at  the  tables  all  the  day.  A  goodly 
curate !  He  hath  caused  also,  through  this  monstrous  kind 
of  covetousness,  patrons  to  sell  their  benefices  :  yea  what  doth 
he  more  ?  He  gets  him  to  the  university,  and  causeth  great  J£et£etvh'ggo 
men  and  esquires  to  send  their  sons  thither;  and  put  out  "ea^utnot 
poor  scholars  that  should  be  divines ;  for  their  parents  intend t0  leam' 
not  that  they  shall  be  preachers,  but  that  they  may  have  a 
shew  of  learning.  But  it  were  too  long  to  declare  unto  you 
what  deceit  and  means  the  devil  hath  found  to  decay  the 
office  of  salvation,  this  office  of  regeneration. 

But  to  return  to  my  matter.  The  people  came  to  hear 
the  word  of  God :  they  heard  him  with  silence.  I  remember 
now  a  saying  of  St  Chrysostom,  and  peradventure  it  might 
come  hereafter  in  better  place,  but  yet  I  will  take  it  whilst 

[4  preparing,  1549,  1562.] 

[5  The  patron  when  presenting  to  a  benefice  reserved  to  himself 
and  heirs  a  certain  portion  of  the  income  of  the  living.  The  granting 
of  pensions  out  of  Rectories  was  also  a  practice  of  long  standing. 
Pegge,  Life  of  Grosseteste,  p.  77.] 


204  SIXTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

it  cometh  to  mind:  the  saying  is  this1,  Et  loquentem  eum 
audierunt  in  silentio,  seriem  locutionis  non  interrumpentes: 
"  They  heard  him,"  saith  he,  "  in  silence,  not  interrupting 
the  order  of  his  preaching."  He  means,  they  heard  him 
quietly,  without  any  shovelling  of  feet,  or  walking  up  and 
The  niisorder  down.      Surely  it  is  an  ill  misorder  that  folk  shall  be  walkino- 

of  walkers  «  m  O 

and  talkers.  Up  an(i  down  m  the  sermon-time,  as  I  have  seen  in  this  place 
this  Lent :  and  there  shall  be  such  huzzing  and  buzzing  in 
the  preacher's  ear,  that  it  maketh  him  oftentimes  to  forget 
his  matter.  0  let  us  consider  the  king's  majesty's  goodness ! 
This  place  was  prepared  for  banqueting  of  the  body ;  and 
his  Majesty  hath  made  it  a  place  for  the  comfort  of  the  soul, 
and  to  have  the  word  of  God  preached  in  it ;  shewing  hereby 
that  he  would  have  all  his  subjects  at  it,  if  it  might  be  pos- 
sible. Consider  what  the  king's  majesty  hath  done  for  you ; 
he  alloweth  you  all  to  hear  with  him.  Consider  where  ye 
be.  First,  ye  ought  to  have  a  reverence  to  God's  word  ;  and 
though  it  be  preached  by  poor  men,  yet  it  is  the  same  word 
that  our  Saviour  spake.  Consider  also  the  presence  of  the 
hig^mmUe?  ^n&s  majesty,  God's  high  vicar  in  earth,  having  a  respect 
of  God.  i0  hjs  personage.  Ye  ought  to  have  reverence  to  it,  and  con- 
sider that  he  is  God's  high  minister,  and  yet  alloweth  you  all 
to  be  partakers  with  him  of  the  hearing  of  God's  word. 
This  benefit  of  his  would  be  thankfully  taken,  and  it  would 
be  highly  esteemed.  Hear  in  silence,  as  Chrysostom  saith. 
It  may  chance  that  some  in  the  company  may  fall  sick  or  be 
diseased :  if  there  be  any  such,  let  them  go  away  with  silence ; 
let  them  leave  their  salutations  till  they  come  in  the  court, 
let  them  depart  with  silence.  I  took  occasion  of  Chrysostom's 
words  to  admonish  you  of  this  tiling. 

What  should  be  the  cause  that  our  Saviour  Christ  went 
into  the  boat  ?  The  scripture  calleth  it  navis  or  navicula,  but 
it  was  no  ship,  it  was  a  fisher's  boat ;  they  were  not  able  to 
have  a  ship.  What  should  be  the  cause  why  he  would  not 
stand  on  the  bank  and  preach  there,  but  he  desired  Peter  to 
draw  the  boat  somewhat  from  the  shore  into  the  midst  of 
the  water :  what  should  be  the  cause  ?  One  cause  was,  for 
that    he  might  sit  there   more  commodiously    than  on   the 

\}  koi  yap  fjv'iKa  e'Xeye  fxera.  criyrjs  yjKovov,  ov8ev  7repepj3dX\oPTes  ovre 
SiaKonTovres  tt]v  aKokovdiav,  k.  t.  X.  In  Matthseum  Horn.  xxv.  (al.  xxvi.) 
Oper.  Tom.  vn.  p.  307.  B.    Edit.  Benecl.  Paris.  1727.] 


XII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  205 

bank :  another  cause  was,  for  that  he  was  like  to  bo  thrust 
into  the  pond  of  the  people  that  came  unto  him.  Why,  our 
Saviour  Christ  might  have  withstood  them,  ho  was  strong 
enough  to  have  kept  himself  from  thrusting  into  the  water : 
he  was  stronger  than  they  all,  and  if  he  had  listed  ho  might 
have  stood  on  the  water,  as  well  as  he  walked  on  the  water. 
Truth  it  is,  so  might  he  have  done  indeed.  But  as  it  was 
sometime  liis  pleasure  to  shew  the  power  of  his  Godhead,  so  he 
declared  now  the  infirmity  and  imbecility  of  his  manhood. 

Here  he  giveth  us  an  example  what  shall  we  do:  we 
must  not  tempt  God  by  any  miracles,  so  long  as  we  may  walk 
by  ordinary  ways.  As  our  Saviour  Christ,  when  the  devil 
had  him  on  the  top  of  the  temple,  and  would  have  had  him  Matt.  iv. 
cast  himself  down,  ho  made  him  this  answer,  Non  tentabis 
Dominum  Deum  tuum,  "  Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord 
thy  God :"  as  if  he  should  have  said,  we  may  not  tempt  God 
at  all.  It  is  no  time  now  to  shew  any  miracles :  there  is 
another  way  to  go  down  by  greesings.  Thus  he  did  shew 
us  an  example,  that  we  must  not  tempt  God,  except  it  be  in 
extreme  necessity,  and  when  we  cannot  otherwise  remedy 
the  matter,  to  leave  it  all  to  God,  else  we  may  not  tempt  the 
majesty  of  his  Deity :  beware  tempting  of  God. 

Well,  he  comes  to  Simon's  boat,  and  why  rather  to  Simon's  why  Christ 
boat  than  another?  I  will  answer,  as  I  find  by  experience2  in  Simon's  boat 

.  .  ,  rather  than 

myself.  I  came  hither  to  day  from  Lambeth  m  a  wherry ;  and  int°  any 
when  I  came  to  take  boat3,  the  watermen  came  about  me,  as 
the  manner  is,  and  he  would  have  me,  and  he  would  have  me : 
I  took  one  of  them.  Now  ye  will  ask  me,  why  I  came  in 
that  boat  rather  than  in  another  ?  Because  I  would  go  into 
that  that  I  see  stand  next  me;  it  stood  more  commodiously 
for  me.  And  so  did  Christ  by  Simon's  boat :  it  stood  nearer 
for  him,  he  saw  a  better  seat  in  it.  A  good  natural  reason. 
Now  come  the  papists,  and  they  will  make  a  mystery  of  it : 
they  will  pick  out  the  supremacy  of  the  bishop  of  Rome  in 
Peter's  boat4.     We  may  make  allegories   enough  of  every 

[2  inexperience,  1549,1562.]  p  take  my  boat,  1549,1562.] 
[4  For  example,  the  Rhemist  annotators  on  this  scripture  remark, 
that  "  It  is  purposely  expressed  that  there  were  two  ships,  and  that 
one  of  them  was  Peter's,  and  that  Christ  went  into  that  one- -no 
doubt  to  signify  the  church  resembled  by  Peter's  ship,  and  that  in  it 
is  the  chair  of  Christ,  and  only  true  preaching."] 


206  SIXTH    SERMON     PREACHED     BEFORE 

a  simple      place  in  scripture :  but  surely  it  must   needs  be  a   sir 

matter  that      x  *  "     .  it. 

standethon    matter  that  standeth  on  so  weak  a  ground.      But   ye   shall 

so  weak  a  °  .  «* 

ground.        see  further  :  he  desired  Peter  to  thrust  out  his  boat  from  the 

a  good  lesson  shore.     He  desired  him.     Here  was  a  good  lesson  for  the 

bishop   of  Home,  and  all  his  college  of  cardinals,  to  learn 

humility  and  gentleness.      Rogabat  eum.      He  desired  him  : 

it  was  gently  done  of  him,  not  with  any  austerity1,  but  with 

all  urbanity,  mildness,  and  softness,  and  humility.     What  an 

example  is  this  that  he  giveth  them  here !     But  they  spy  it 

not,  they  can  see  nothing  but  the  supremacy  of  the  bishop 

of  Rome.      A  wondrous  tiling,  what  sight  they  have ;  they 

How  the       see  nothing  but  the  supremacy  of  the  bishop  of  Rome  !    Im- 

RomePruieth  perabatis  ovibus  meis,  saith  Ezekiel,  cum  avaritia,  et  auste- 

and  reigneth         .  , .  ,  tt-       1  i     i 

over  the  mtate,  et  dispersal  sunt  absque  pastore ;  "  le  have  ruled 
my  sheep,  and  commanded  them  with  great  lordliness,  auste- 
rity, and  power  ;  and  thus  ye  have  dispersed  my  sheep 
abroad."  And  why  ?  There  was  no  shepherd,  they  had 
wanted  one  a  great  while.  Rome  hath  been  many  a  hundred 
years  without  a  good  shepherd.  They  would  not  learn  to 
rule  them  gently  ;  they  had  rule  over  them,  but  it  was  with 
cursings,  excommunications,  with  great  austerity  and  thun- 
derbolts, and  the  devil  and  all,  to  maintain  their  unpreaching 
prelacy.  I  beseech  God  open  their  eyes,  that  they  may  see 
the  truth,  and  not  be  blinded  with  those  tilings  that  no  man 
can  see  but  they  ! 

The  preacher         It  followeth  in  the  text,  Sedens  docebat  de  navi  :  "  He 

usethtosit.  .     .  .  . 

taught  sitting."  Preachers,  belike,  were  sitters  in  those  days, 
as  it  is  written  in  another  place,  Sedent  in  cathedra  Mosis, 
"  They  sit  in  the  chair  of  Moses."  I  would  our  preachers 
would  preach  sitting  or  standing,  one  way  or  other.  It 
was  a  goodly  pulpit  that  our  Saviour  Christ  had  gotten  him 
here ;  an  old  rotten  boat,  and  yet  he  preached  his  Father's 
Christ  regard- will,  his  Father's  message  out  of  this  pulpit.  He  cared  not 
more  than"'1  e  for  the  pulpit,  so  he  might  do  the  people  good.  Indeed 
it  is  to  be  commended  for  the  preacher  to  stand  or  sit,  as  the 
place  is ;  but  I  would  not  have  it  so  superstitiously  esteemed, 
but  that  a  good  preacher  may  declare  the  word  of  God  sit- 
ting on  a  horse,  or  preaching  in  a  tree.  And  yet  if  this 
should  be  done,  the  unpreaching  prelates  would  laugh  it  to 

[i    without  any  austerity,   1549,  1562.] 


XII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  207 

scorn.  And  though  it  be  good  to  have  the  pulpit  set  up 
in  churches,  that  the  people  may  resort  thither,  yet  I  would 
not  have  it  so  super  stitiously  used,  but  that  in  a  profane 
place  the  word  of  God  might  be  preached  sometimes;  and 
I  would  not  have  the  people  offended  withal,  no  more  than 
they  be  with  our  Saviour  Christ's  preaching  out  of  a  boat. 
And  yet  to  have  pulpits  in  churches,  it  is  very  well  done  to 
have  them,  but  they  would  be  occupied ;  for  it  is  a  vain  thing 
to  have  them  as  they  stand  in  many  churches. 

I  heard  of  a  bishop  of  England  that  went  on  visitation,  a  merry  taie, 
and  as  it  was  the  custom,  when  the  bishop  should  come,  and  i»si»>PK"">L' 
be  rung  into  the  town,  the  great  bell  s  clapper  was  fallen 
down,  the  tyall  was  broken,  so  that  the  bishop  could  not  be 
rung  into  the  town.  There  was  a  great  matter  made  of  this, 
and  the  chief  of  the  parish  were  much  blamed  for  it  in  the 
visitation.  The  bishop  was  somewhat  quick  with  them,  and 
signified  that  he  was  much  offended2.  They  made  their 
answers,  and  excused  themselves  as  well  as  they  could:  "It  was 
a  chance,"  said  they,  "that  the  clapper  brake,  and  we  could  not 
get  it  mended  by  and  by  ;  we  must  tarry  till  we  can  have  it 
done  :  it  shall  be  amended  as  shortly  as  may  be."  Among 
the  other,  there  was  one  wiser  than  the  rest,  and  he  comes 
me  to  the  bishop  :  "  Why,  my  lord,"  saith  he,  "  doth  your 
lordship  make  so  great  a  matter  of  the  bell  that  lacketh  his 
clapper?  Here  is  a  bell,"  said  he,  and  pointed  to  the  pulpit,  ThePuiPit 
"that  hath  lacked  a  clapper  this  twenty  years.  We  have  acUpper!* 
parson  that  fetcheth  out  of  this  benefice  fifty  pound  every 
year,  but  we  never  see  him."  I  warrant  you,  the  bishop 
was  an  unpreaching  prelate.  He  could  find  fault  with  the 
bell  that  wanted  a  clapper  to  ring  him  into  the  town,  but  he 
could  not  find  any  fault  with  the  parson  that  preached  not  at 
his  benefice.  Ever  tins  office  of  preaching  hath  been  least 
regarded,  it  hath  scant  had  the  name  of  God's  service.  They 
must  sing  "Salve  festa  dies"  about  the  church,  that  no  man  sodofooism 

°  Christmas. 

[2  It  was  oftentimes  matter  of  stipulation  in  covenants,  &c.  that 
the  hells  of  churches  should  be  rung  in  honour  of  the  arrival,  at  the 
place,  of  bishops,  abbots,  &c.  :  and  the  neglecting  to  ring  bells  on 
such  occasions  was  regarded  as  an  offence  for  which  the  incumbent 
of  the  church  might  be  called  upon  to  answer.  Brand,  Observat.  on 
Popular  Antiq.  by  Ellis,  n.  p.  135,  note.  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  ni. 
p.  87,  edit.  1684.] 


208  SIXTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

was  the  better  for  it,  but  to  shew  their  gay  coats  and  gar- 
ments. 

I  came  once  myself  to  a  place,  riding  on  a  journey  home- 
ward from  London,  and  I  sent  word  over  night  into  the  town 
that  I  would  preach  there  in  the  morning,  because  it  was 
holiday ;  and  methought  it  was  an  holiday's  work.  The 
church  stood  in  my  way,  and  I  took  my  horse  and  my  com- 
pany, and  went  thither.  I  thought  I  should  have  found  a 
great  company  in  the  church,  and  when  I  came  there,  the 
church  door  was  fast  locked.  I  tarried  there  half  an  hour 
and  more :  at  last  the  key  was  found,  and  one  of  the  parish 
comes  to  me  and  says,  "  Sir,  this  is  a  busy  day  with  us,  we 

Robin  Hood  cannot  hear  you  ;  it  is  Robin  Hood's  day.     The  parish  are 

deleave  gone  abroad  to  gather  for  Robin  Hood1:  I  pray  you  let 
them  not."  I  was  fain  there  to  give  place  to  Robin  Hood :  I 
thought  my  rochet  should  have  been  regarded,  though  I  were 
not ;  but  it  would  not  serve,  it  was  fain  to  give  place  to  Robin 
Hood's  men.  It  is  no  laughing  matter,  my  friends,  it  is  a 
weeping  matter,  a  heavy  matter ;  a  heavy  matter,  under  the 
pretence  of  gathering  for  Robin  Hood,  a  traitor  and  a  thief, 
to  put  out  a  preacher,  to  have  his  office  less  esteemed ;  to 
prefer  Robin  Hood  before  the  ministration  of  God's  word : 
and  all  this  hath  come  of  unpreaching  prelates.  This  realm 
hath  been  ill  provided  for,  that  it  hath  had  such  corrupt 
judgments  in  it,  to  prefer  Robin  Hood  to  God's  word.  If 
the  bishops  had  been  preachers,  there  should  never  have 
been  any  such  thing :  but  we  have  good  hope  of  better. 
We  have  had  a  good  beginning :  I  beseech  God  to  con- 
tinue it !     But  I  tell  you,  it  is  far  wide  that  the   people 

Theun-       have  such  judgments;  the  bishops  they  could  laugh  at   it. 

preilate1sng     What  was  that  to  them?  They  would   have  them   to   con- 

would  have       .  ....  ■.  ,  ■•  • 

the  people  to  tmue  ui  their  ignorance  still,  and  themselves  m  unpreaching 

continue  E>  »  to 

in  ignorance,  prelacy. 

Well,  sitting,  sitting :  "  He  sat  down  and  taught."  The 
text  doth  tell  us  that  he  taught,  but  it  doth  not  tell  us  what 
he  taught.     If  I  were  a  papist,  I  could  tell  what  he  said  ;  I 

t1  On  "Robin  Hood's  day"  (May  l)  it  was  customary,  among  other 
tilings,  for  a  number  of  persons  to  go  about  the  country  to  collect 
money  for  the  purpose  of  defraying  the  expenses  attending  the 
May-sports  then  enacted.  Brand,  Observat.  on  Popular  Antiq.  i. 
p.  212.] 


XII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  209 

Avould,  in  the  Pope's  judgment,  shew  what  he  taught.  For 
the  bishop  of  Rome  hath  in  scrinio  pectoris  sui  the  true 
understanding  of  scriptures.  If  he  call  a  council,  the  college 
of  cardinals,  he  hath  authority  to  determine  the  supper  of 
the  Lord,  as  he  did  at  the  council  of  Florence2 !  And  Pope 
Nicholas 3,  and  bishop  Lanfrank4,  shall  come  and  expound 
this  place,  and  say,  that  our  Saviour  Christ  said  thus:  "  Peter, 
I  do  mean  this  by  sitting  in  thy  boat,  that  thou  shalt  go  to 
Rome,  and  be  bishop  there  five-and-twenty  years  after  mine 
ascension ;  and  all  thy  successors  shall  be  rulers  of  the  uni- 
versal church  after  thee." 

Here  would  I  place  also  holy  water,  and  holy  bread,  and  Here  is 
all  unwritten  verities,  if  I  were  a  papist ;  and,  that  scripture  notiunBupon 
is  not  to  be  expounded  by  any  private  interpretation,  but  by 
our  holy  father  and  his  college  of  cardinals.  This  is  a  great 
deal  better  place  than  Due  in  altum,  "  Launch  into  the 
deep."  But  what  was  Christ's  sermon?  It  may  soon  be 
gathered  what  it  was.  He  is  always  like  himself.  His  first 
sermon  was,  Poznitentiam  agite ;  "  Do  penance  ;  your  living- 
is  naught ;  repent."  Again,  at  Nazareth,  when  he  read  in 
the  temple,  and  preached  remission  of  sins,  and  healing  of 
wounded  consciences  ;  and  in  the  long  sermon  in  the  mount, 
he  was  always  like  himself,  he  never  dissented  from  himself. 

Oh,  there  is  a  writer  hath  a  jolly  text  here,  and  his  name 
is  Dionysius5.  I  chanced  to  meet  with  his  book  in  my  lord 
of  Canterbury's  library  :  he  was  a  monk  of  the  Charterhouse. 
I  marvel  to  find  such  a  sentence  in  that  author.  What 
taught  Christ  in  this  sermon  ?  Marry,  saith  he,  it  is  not  a  good  ami 
written.  And  he  addeth  more  unto  it ;  Evangelistai  tantum 
scripserunt  de  sermonibus  et  miraculis  Christi  quantum  cog- 
noverunt,  inspirante  Deo,  sufficere  ad  oidificationem  ecclesiai, 

[2  Allusion  is  here  had  to  the  decree  of  Pope  Eugenius  IV., 
put  forth  at  that  council.  Concilia,  Labb.  et  Coss.  Tom.  xm.  col.  529, 
536,  &c.  Paris.  1672.] 

[3  Pope  Nicholas  I.,  whose  notions  of  ecclesiastical  pre-eminence 
may  be  seen  in  the  Concilia  above  referred  to,  (Tom.  vm.  col.  268, 
seqj  and  in  the  Canon  Law,  Decret.  Grat.  prima  par.  Distinct,  x.] 

[4  Lanfranc.  Opera,  p.  378.  Edit.  Bened.  Paris.  1648.] 

[5  Dionysius  Carthusianus,  a  voluminous  writer  who  died  in 
1471.  Among  other  works  he  wrote  Commentaries  on  the  whole 
scriptures.     Cave,  Hist.  Literar.  Append,  p.  166.  Oxon.  1743.] 

[LATIMER.] 


210  S[XTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

ad  confirmationem  fidei,  et  ad  salutem  animarum1.  It  is 
true,  it  is  not  written  ;  all  his  miracles  were  not  written,  so 
neither  were  all  his  sermons  written :  yet  for  all  that,  the 
evangelists  did  write  so  much  as  was  necessary.  "  They 
wrote  so  much  of  the  miracles  and  sermons  of  Christ  as  they 
knew  by  God's  inspiration  to  be  sufficient  for  the  edifying  of 
the  church,  the  confirmation  of  our  faith,  and  the  health  of 
our  souls."  If  this  be  true,  as  it  is  indeed,  where  be  unwrit- 
ten verities  ?  I  marvel  not  at  the  sentence,  but  to  find  it  in 
such  an  author.  Jesus  !  what  authority  he  gives  to  God's 
word !  But  God  would  that  such  men  should  be  witness 
with  the  authority  of  his  book,  will  they,  nill  they.  Now  to 
draw  towards  an  end. 
a  .lacewre^t-  ^  followeth  in  the  text,  Due  in  altum.  Here  cometh  in 
hish'V'of  tne  supremacy  of  the  bishop  of  Rome.  When  our  Saviour 
Christ  had  made  an  end  of  his  sermon,  and  had  fed  their 
souls,  he  provided  for  their  bodies.  First,  he  began  with 
the  soul :  Christ's  word  is  the  food  of  it.  Now  he  goeth  to 
the  body.  He  hath  charge  of  them  both  :  we  must  commit 
the  feeding  of  the  body  and  of  the  soul  to  him.  Well,  he 
saith  to  Peter,  Due  in  altum,  "  Launch  into  the  depth  ;  put 
forth  thy  boat  farther  into  the  deep  of  the  water ;  loose  your 
nets;  now  fish."  As  who  should  say,  "Your  souls  are  now 
fed,  I  have  taught  you  my  doctrine  ;  now  I  will  confirm  it 
Christ  con-  with  a  miracle."  Lo,  sir,  here  is  Due  in  altum:  here  Peter 
!ioctnnchwith  was  made  a  great  man,  say  the  papists,  and  all  his  successors 
after  him.  And  this  is  derived  of  these  few  words,  "  Launch 
into  the  deep."  And  their  argument  is  this:  he  spake  to  Peter 
only,  and  he  spake  to  him  in  the  singular  number ;  ergo  he 
gave  him  such  a  pre-eminence  above  the  rest.  A  goodly  argu- 
te wg™und  ment  •  I  ween  ^  ^e  a  syll°gismus>  w*  quern  terra,  pontus. 
buiideth.  j  wj]j  make  a  mte  argument.  Our  Saviour  Christ  said  to 
Judas,  when  he  was  about  to  betray  him,  Quodfacisfac  citius, 
"What  thou  doest,  do  quickly."  Now  when  he  spake  to  Peter, 
there  were  none  of  his  disciples  by  but  James  and  John ;  but 

\}  Verba  autem  prsedicationis  Christi  evangelista  non  exprimit 

Tanta  vero  de  ejus  documentis  atque  miraculis  evangelista)  scripserunt 
quantum  ad  sedificationem  ecclesine,  ad  fidei  confirmationem,  ad  salu- 
tem fidelium  sufiicere  noverant,  inspirante  ac  moderante  Spiritu 
Sancto."  Dionysii  Carth.  in  Evang.  Lucse  enarrat.  Art.  xn.  p.  98  f. 
Paris.  1548.] 


Rome 


Christ  pro- 
videth  for 
the  bodv  as 
well  as  for 
the  soul. 


XII.]  KING     EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  211 

when  he  spake  to  Judas,  they  were  all  present.  Well,  he  said 
unto  him,  Quod  facts  fac  citins,  "  Speed  thy  business  that  thou  John  xhi. 
hast  in  thy  head,  do  it."  He  gave  him  here  a  secret  moni- 
tion, that  he  knew  what  he  intended,  if  Judas  had  had  grace 
to  have  taken  it,  and  repented.  He  spake  in  the  singular 
number  to  him  ;  ergo  he  gave  him  some  pre-eminence.  Be- 
like he  made  him  a  cardinal ;  and  it  might  full  well  be,  for 
they  have  followed  Judas  ever  since.  Here  is  as  good  a  a  good 
ground  for  the  college  of  cardinals,  as  the  other  is  for  the  college  of '  ( 

©  o  cardinals 

supremacy  of  the  bishop  of  Rome.  "Our  Saviour  Christ,"  say 
they,  "spake  only  to  Peter  for  pre-eminence,  because  he  was 
chief  of  the  apostles,  and  you  can  shew  none  other  cause ; 
ergo  this  is  the  cause  why  he  spake  to  him  in  the  singular 
number."  I  dare  say  there  is  never  a  wherryman  at  West- 
minster-bridge but  he  can  answer  to  this,  and  give  a  natural 
reason  of  it.      He  knoweth  that  one  man  is  able  to  shove  the  why  cimst 

spake  in  the 

boat,  but  one  man  was  not  able  to  cast  out  the  nets ;  and  piurai  num- 
ber, and  why 

therefore  he  said  in  the  plural  number,  Laxate  retia,  "  Loose  rathe  singu- 

your  nets ;"■  and  he  said  in  the  singular  number2  to  Peter, 

"  Launch  out  the  boat."    Why  ?  Because  he  was  able  to  do 

it.      But  he  spake  the  other  in  the  plural  number,  because  he 

was  not  able  to  convey  the  boat,  and  cast  out  the  nets  too  : 

one  man  could  not  do  it.      This  would  the  wherryman  say, 

and  that  with  better  reason,  than  to  make  such  a  mystery  of 

it,  as  no  man  can  spy  but  they.     And  the  cause  why  he 

spake  to  all  was  to  shew  that  he  will  have  all  christian  men 

to  work  for  their  living.      It  is  he  that  sends  food  both  for 

the  body  and  soul,  but  he  will  not  send  it  without  labour. 

He  will  have  all  christian  people  to  labour  for  it;  he   will  we  must  ia- 

1       i  bour,  or  else 

use  our  labour  as  a  mean  whereby  he  sendeth  our  food.  w  may  not 

This  was  a  wondrous  miracle  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  and 
he  did  it  not  only  to  allure  them  to  his  discipleship,  but  also 
for  our  commodity.  It  was  a  seal,  a  seal  to  seal  his  doctrine 
withal.  Now  ye  know  that  such  as  be  keepers  of  seals,  as  my 
lord  Chancellor,  and  such  other,  whatsoever  they  be,  they  do 
not  always  seal,  they  have  a  sealing  time :  for  I  have  heard 
poor  men  complain,  that  they  have  been  put  off  from  time  to 
time  of  sealing,  till  all  their  money  were  spent.      And  as  they 

[2  Ait  autem  singulariter  Petro,  'Due,'  quia  ab  eo  solo  fieri  quivit: 
pluraliterque  adjungit,  'Laxate,'  quia  hoe  a  pluribus  fieri  aptius  potuit. 

Dionvsius  Carthus.  in  loe.] 

14—2 


212 


SIXTH     SERMON     PREACHED     BEFORE 


chrisfs  aoc-  have  times  to  seal  in,  so  our  Saviour  Christ  had  his  time  of 

trine  was  suf- 


eientiy       sealing.      When  he  was  here  in  earth  with  his  apostles,  and 

o^aled,  and        ...  ...  ,  1  syi      •      •         1  • 

when.  m  the  time  of  the  primitive  church,    Christ  s   doctrine  was 

sufficiently  sealed  already  with  seals  of  Ins  own  making.    What 

should  our  seals  do  ?   What  need  we  to  seal  his  seal?  It  is  a 

confirmed  doctrine  already. 

The  papists  Oh,  Luther,  when  he  came  into  the  world  first,  and  dis- 

i^oiermira-  puted  against  the  Decretals,  the  Clementines,  Alexandrines, 

tirm  his        Extravagantines \  what  ado  had  he  !  But  ye  will  sav,  perad- 

doetrine.  &  '  «  .       J 

venture,  he  was  deceived  in  some  things.      I  will  not  take 

upon  me  to  defend  him  in  all  points.      I  will  not  stand  to  it 

that  all  that  he  wrote  was  true  ;   I  think  he  would  not  so 

liimself :  for  there  is  no  man  but  he  may  err.      He  came  to 

further  and  further  knowledge  :  but  surely  he  was  a  goodly 

instrument.     Well,  I  say,  when  he  preached  first,  they  call 

upon  him  to  do  miracles.    They  were  wrought  before,  and  so 

mlraciesof6  we  need  *0  ^°  n0  miracles.      Indeed  when  the  popish  prelates 

confirn7the°ir  preached  first,   they  had  need   of  miracles,   and  the    devil 

doetnne.       wrought  some  in   the   preaching    of  purgatory.      But  what 

kind  of  miracles  these  were,  all  England  doth  know  :  but  it 

will  not  know.      A  wonderful  thing  that  the  people  will  con- 

what  profit  tinue  in  then-  blindness  and  ignorance  still !    We  have  great 

we  have  of  t  °  & 

chriSfs  mira-  utility  of  the  miracles  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  He  doth 
signify  unto  us  by  tins  wonderful  work,  that  he  is  Lord  as 
well  of  the  water  as  of  the  land.  A  good  comfort  for  those 
that  be  on  the  water,  when  they  be  in  any  tempest  or 
danger,  to  call  upon  him. 

[J  The  Decretals  form  the  second  and  part  of  the  third  division  of 
the  body  of  Canon  law,  and  consist  chiefly  of  the  letters  or  pretended 
letters  of  different  popes  ;  and  profess  to  be  decisions  or  judgments 
in  causes  that  had  been  submitted  to  the  papal  jurisdiction,  especially 
between  the  years  1150  and  about  1300. 

The  Clementines  form  a  portion  of  the  third  division  of  the  body 
of  Canon  law,  and  profess  to  be  the  decretal  epistles  of  Pope  Clement 
V.  between  1305  and  1314. 

By  Alexandrines  the  preacher  probably  meant  the  Constitutions  and 
decretal  epistles  of  Pope  Alexander  III.,  which  profess  to  be  extant. 

Extravagantines,  or  Extravagantes  (quasi  extra  Corpus  juris  vagan- 
tes),  form  a  portion  of  the  third  division  of  the  body  of  Canon  law, 
and  are  of  two  classes,  viz.  the  Extravagantes  or  Decretals  of  Pope 
John  XXII.,  and  the  Extravagantes  communes,  or  Decretals  of  uncer- 
tain authorship.  The  "Extravagantines"  embrace  the  period  between 
the  year  1316  and  1483.] 


XII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  213 

The  fish  here  came  at  his  commandment.     Here  we  may 
learn  that  all  things  in  the  water  are  subject  to  Christ.    Peter 
said,  "  Sir,  we  have  laboured  all  night,  and  have  not  caught  I^m^bui 
one  fin  ;  howbeit  at  your  word  we  will  to  it  afresh."     By  this  [l.^'inir^c. 
it  appeareth  that  the  gain,  the  lucre,  the  revenues  that  we 
get,  must  not  be  imputed  to  our  labour ;   we  may  not  say, 
"  Gramercy2  labour."    It  is  not  our  labour,  it  is  our  Saviour 
Christ  that  sendeth  us  living  :  yet  must  we  labour,  for  he 
that  said  to  Peter  labour,  and  he  that  bade  the  fishers  labour, 
bids   all  men   to  labour   in   their   business.      There   be  some  There  are 
people  that  ascribe  their  gains,  their  increase  gotten  by  any  ascribe  their 

J.        r  O  o  d  e/    increase  to 

faculty,   to   the   devil.      Is   there  any,  trow  ye,  in  England  the  deviI- 

would  say  so  ?  Now  if  any  man  should  come  to  another,  and 

say  he  got  his  living  by  the  devil,  he  would  fall  out  with 

him.     There  is  not  a  man  in  England  that  so  saith ;  yet  is 

there  some  that  think  it.      For  all  that  get  it  with  false  buy-  wi™  they  arc 

p  m  J      that  get  their 

ing  and  selling,  with  circumvention,  with  usury,  impostures,  l™f h^ the 
mixed  wares,  false  weights,  deceiving  their  lords  and  masters; 
all  those  that  get  their  goods  on  this  fashion,  what  do  they 
think  but  that  the  devil  sends  them  gains  and  riches  ?  For 
they  be  his,  being  unlawfully  gotten :  what  is  tins  to  say 
but  that  the  devil  is  author  of  their  gains,  when  they  be 
so  gotten  ?  for  God  inhibits  them.  Deus  non  volens  iniqui- 
tatem  tu  es  ;  "  God  will  no  iniquity."  These  folk  are  greatly 
deceived. 

There  be  some,  again,  impute  all  to  their  labours  and  Some  impute 
works.      Yea,    on   the   holy  day  they   cannot   find  in   their  totheir 
hearts  to   come  to   the  temple  to   the   blessed  communion ; 
they  must  be  working  at  home.     These  are  wide  again  on 
the  other  side.      And  some  there  be  that  think,  if  they  work 
nothing  at  all,  they  shall  have  enough  :  they  will  have  no 
good  exercise,  but  gape,  and  think  God  will  send  meat  into 
their  mouths.    And  these  are  far  wide3 :  they  must   work,  wemust 
He  bade  the  fishers  work  :  our  Saviour  Christ  bade  Peter  w°' 
work :  and   he  that  said  so   to  them,  says  the  same  to  us, 
every  man  in  his  art.      Benedictio  Deifacit  divitem ;  "  The  ood-sbiess- 
blessing  of  God  maketh  a  man  rich."      He  lets  his  sun  shine  rich. 
upon  the  wicked,  as  well  as  upon  the  good ;  he  sends  riches 
both  to  good  and  bad.     But  this  blessing  turns  to  them  into 

[2  great  thanks  to  :  grand  mercie.] 
[3  arc  as  far  wide,  1549.] 


214  SIXTH    SERMON    PREACHED     BEFORE  [sERM. 

a  malediction   and  a  curse ;   it   increaseth  their   damnation. 

St  Paul,  writing  to  the  Thessalonians,  did  put  an  order  how 

we  must  la-  every  man  should  work  in  his  vocation :    Cum  essemus  apud 

hour,  or  else  **  J- 

we  may  not  V0S}  hoc  praicipiebamus  vobis,  ut  si  quis  nollet  operari  is  nee 
edat ;  which  in  our  English  tongue  is1 :  "  When  I  was  among 
you,"  saith  he, "  I  made  this  ordinance,  that  whosoever  would  not 
do  the  work  of  his  vocation  should  have  no  meat."  It  were 
a  good  ordinance  in  a  commonweal,  that  every  man  should  be 
set  on  work,  every  man  in  his  vocation.  "  Let  him  have  no 
meat."  Now  he  saith  furthermore,  Audivimus  quosdam  inter 
vos  versantes  inordinate  nihil  operis  facientes,  "  I  hear  say 
there  be  some  amongst  you  that  live  inordinately."  What  is 
that  word  inordinately  ?  Idly,  giving  themselves  to  no  occu- 

curious men.  pation  for  their  living:  curiose  ar/entes,  curious  men,  given 
to  curiosity,  to  searching  what  other  men  do.  St  Paul  saith, 
"  he  heard  say ;"  he  could  not  tell  whether  it  were  so  or  no. 
But  he  took  occasion  of  hearing  say,  to  set  out  a  good  and 
wholesome  doctrine  :  His  autem  qui  sunt  ejusmodi  prcecipi- 
■mus  et  obsecramus ;  "  We  command  and  desire  you  for  the 
reverence  of  God,  if  there  be  any  such,  that  they  will  do 
the  works  of  their  vocation,  and  go  quietly  to  their  occupa- 
tion, and  so  eat  their  own  bread :"  else  it  is  not  their  own, 

eahr£emMas  a  **  *s  other  men's  meat.  Our  Saviour  Christ,  before  he  began 
his  preaching,  lived  of  his  occupation ;  he  was  a  carpenter, 
and  gat  his  living  with  great  labour.  Therefore  let  no  man 
disdain  or  think  scorn  to  follow  him  in  a  mean  living,  a 
mean  vocation,  or  a  common  calling  and  occupation.  For  as 
he  blessed  our  nature  with  taking  upon  him  the  shape  of 
man,   so  in  his  doing   he  blessed  all  occupations   and  arts. 

deSfeuT'     -Fhis  is  a  notable  example  to  signify  that  he  abhors  all  idle- 

ldieness.  nesg>  ^yy}ien  }ie  was  a  carpenter,  then  he  went  and  did  the 
work  of  his  calling ;  and  when  he  was  a  preacher,  he  did 
the  works  of  that  calling.  He  was  no  unpreaching  prelate. 
The  bishop  of  Rome  should  have  learned  that  at  him.  And 
these  gainers  with  false  arts,  what  be  they  ?  They  are  never 
content  with  what  they  have,  though  it  be  never  so  much. 
And  they  that  are  true  dealers  are  satisfied  with  that  that 
n  is  riches     God  sends,  thouo-h  it   be   never  so  little.     Qiicestus  maarms 

enough  to  be       ,  °  .  . 

with'rhat      pietas  cum  animo  sua  sorte  contento ;  "  Godliness  is  great 
Godsendeth.  ga^  jf  is  lucre  enough,  it  is  vantage  enough,   to  be  content 
[x  which  in  our  English  tongue  is,  not  in  1540,  1562.] 


XII.  J  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  215 

with  that  that  God  sends."     The  faithful  cannot  lack ;  the 
unfaithful  is  ever  lacking,  though  he  have  never  so  much. 

I  will  now  make  an  end.  Labores  manuum  tuarum,  let 
us  all  labour.  Christ  teacheth  us  to  labour,  yea,  the  bishop 
of  Rome  himself,  he  teacheth  him  to  labour,  rather  than  to 
be  head  of  the  church.  Let  us  put  our  trust  in  God,  Labores 
manuum  tuarum,  "  Cast  thy  care  upon  the  Lord,  and  he 
will  nourish  thee  and  feed  thee."  Again,  the  prophet  saith, 
Nunquam  v'idi  justum  derelictum,  nee  semen  ejus  qucerens  vs.  xxxvii. 
panem ;  "  I  never  saw  the  righteous  man  forsaken,  nor  his 
seed  to  seek  his  bread."  It  is  infidelity,  infidelity  that  mars 
all  together. 

Well,  to  my  text :  Labores  manuum  tuarum  quia  man- 
ducabis,  beatus  es,  et  bene  tibi  erit ;  "  Because  thou  eatest 
the  labours  of  thy  hands,  that  God  sends  thee  of  thy  labour." 
Every  man  must  labour ;  yea,  though  he  be  a  king,  yet  he 
must  labour :  for  I  know  no  man  hath  a  greater  labour 
than  a  king.  What  is  his  labour  ?  To  study  God's  book,  to 
see  that  there  be  no  unpreaching  prelates  in  his  realm,  nor 
bribing  judges  ;  to  see  to  all  estates ;  to  provide  for  the  poor ; 
to  see  victuals  good  cheap.  Is  not  this  a  labour,  trow  ye  ? 
Thus  if  thou  dost  labour,  exercising  the  works  of  thy  voca- 
tion, thou  eatest  the  meat  that  God  sends  thee  ;  and  then  it 
followeth,  Beatus  es,  "  Thou  art  a  blessed  man  in  God's 
favour,"  et  bene  tibi  erit,  "  and  it  shall  go  well  with  thee  in 
this  world,"  both  in  body  and  soul,  for  God  provideth  for  provision  for 
both.  How  shalt  thou  provide  for  thy  soul  ?  Go  hear  and  theaouiJ 
sermons.  How  for  the  body  ?  Labour  in  thy  vocation,  and 
then  shall  it  be  well  with  thee,  both  here  and  in  the  world  to 
come,  through  the  faith  and  merits  of  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ :  to  whom  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost  be 
praise  for  ever  and  ever,  world  without  end.      Amen. 


216  SEVENTH    SERMON    PREACHED    REFORE 


THE    SEVENTH    SERMON    OF    M.   LATIMER    PREACHED 
BEFORE  KING  EDWARD,  APRIL  NINETEENTH,  [1549]. 


[ROMANS  XV.  4.] 

Qucecunque  scripta  sunt,  ad  nostram  doctrinam  scripta  sunt. 
All  things  that  be  written,  they  be  written  to  be  our  doctrine. 

By  occasion  of  this  text,  most  honourable  audience,  I 
have  walked  this  Lent  in  the  broad  field  of  scripture,  and 
used  my  liberty,  and  entreated  of  such  matters  as  I  thought 
meet  for  this  auditory.  I  have  had  ado  with  many  estates, 
even  with  the  highest  of  all.  I  have  entreated  of  the  duty 
of  kings,  of  the  duty  of  magistrates  and  judges,  of  the  duty 
of  prelates ;  allowing  that  that  is  good,  and  disallowing  the 
contrary.  I  have  taught  that  we  are  all  sinners :  I  think 
there  is  none  of  us  all,  neither  preacher  nor  hearer,  but  we 
may  be  amended,  and  redress  our  lives :  we  may  all  say, 
yea,  all  the  pack  of  us,  Peccavimus  cum  patribus  nostris, 
we  are  an  "We  have  offended  and  sinned  with  our  forefathers."  In 
hav"eoffended  multis  offendimus  omnes :  there  is  none  of  us  all  but  we 
ways!nmny  have  in  sundry  things  grievously  offended  almighty  God. 
I  here  entreated  of  many  faults,  and  rebuked  many  kinds 
of  sins.  I  intend  to-day,  by  God's  grace,  to  shew  you  the 
remedy  of  sin.  We  be  in  the  place  of  repentance :  now  is 
the  time  to  call  for  mercy,  whilst  we  be  in  this  world.  We 
be  all  sinners,  even  the  best  of  us  all ;  therefore  it  is  good 
to  hear  the  remedy  of  sin.  This  day  is  commonly  called 
Good-Friday1  :  although  every  day  ought  to  be  with  us 
Good-Friday,  yet  this  day  we  are  accustomed  specially  to 

\}  In  the  dedication  prefixed  to  these  sermons  it  is  stated  that  they 
were  preached  on  the  several  Fridays  in  Lent,  and  in  the  third  year  of 
the  reign  of  Edward  VI.  Now  as  the  3d  Edward  VI.  commenced  on 
the  28th  day  of  January,  1549,  reckoning  according  to  the  historical 
year,  and  as  Easter-day,  1549,  fell  on  the  21st  of  April,  the  first  Friday 
in  Lent  would  be  on  March  8th,  and  Good-Friday  on  the  19th  of 
April.] 


Luke  xxii 
Mark  xiv. 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  217 

have  a  commemoration  and  remembrance  of  the  passion  of 

our  Saviour  Jesus   Christ.      This   day  we  have   in  memory  Christ's  death 

i  •     r  •  .  tii  l'l-i  i  p  .is  the  remedv 

Ins  bitter  passion  and  death,  which  is  the  remedy  01  our  sin.  for  sin. 
Therefore  I  intend  to  entreat  of  a  piece  of  a  story  of  his 
passion ;  I  am  not  able  to  entreat  of  all.  That  I  may  do 
that  the  better,  and  that  it  may  be  to  the  honour  of  God, 
and  the  edification  of  your  souls,  and  mine  both,  I  shall 
desire  you  to  pray,  &c.  In  this  prayer  I  will  desire  you 
to  remember  the  souls  departed,  with  lauds  and  praise  to 
almighty  God,  and  that  he  did2  vouchsafe  to  assist  them  at 
the  hour  of  their  death:  in  so  doing  you  shall  be  put  in 
remembrance  to  pray  for  yourselves,  that  it  may  please 
God  to  assist  and  comfort  you  in  the  agonies  and  pains  of 
death. 

The  place  that  I  will  entreat  of  is  the  twenty-sixth  chap-  Matt.  xxvi. 
ter  of  St  Matthew.  Howbeit,  as  I  entreat  of  it,  I  will  bor- 
row part  of  St  Mark,  and  part  of  St  Luke :  for  they  have 
somewhat  that  St  Matthew  hath  not ;  and  especially  Luke. 
The  text  is,  Tunc  cum  venisset  Jesus  in  villam,  quae  dicitur 
Gethsemani,  "  Then  when  Jesus  came ;"  some  have  in  vil- 
lam, some  in  agrum,  some  in  prcedium.  But  it  is  all  one ; 
when  Christ  came  into  a  grange,  into  a  piece  of  land,  into  a 
field,  it  makes  no  matter;  call  it  what  ye  will.  At  what 
time  he  had  come  into  an  honest  man's  house,  and  there 
eaten  his  paschal  lamb,  and  instituted  and  celebrated  the 
Lord's  supper,  and  set  forth  the  blessed  communion;  then 
when  this  was  done,  he  took  his  way  to  the  place  where  he 
knew  Judas  would  come.  It  was  a  solitary  place,  and  thither 
he  went  with  his  eleven  apostles  :  for  Judas,  the  twelfth,  was  Judas  was 
about  his  business,  he  was  occupied  about  his  merchandise,  £^??ing 
and  was  providing  among  the  bishops  and  priests  to  come 
with  an  ambushment3  of  Jews,  to  take  our  Saviour  Jesu 
Christ.  And  when  he  was  come  into  the4  field  or  grange, 
this  village,  or  farm-place,  which  was  called  Gethsemane, 
there  was  a  garden,  saith  Luke,  into  the  which  he  goeth,  and  Christ  went 
leaves  eight  of  his  disciples  without ;  howbeit  he  appointed 
them  what  they  should  do :  he  saith,  Sedete  hie  donee  illuc 
vadam  ei  orem ;  "  Sit  you  here,  whilst  I  go  yonder  and 
pray."     He  told  them   that   he   went   to   pray,   to   monish 

[2  would,  1549,  1562,  1571.]  [3  imbushment,  1549,  1562.] 

I*  this,  1584.] 


218 


SEVENTH  SERMON"  PREACHED  EEFORE 


death. feareth  meet  for  prayer 


them  what  they  should   do,  to   fall  to  prayer  as   he  did. 

He  left  them  there,  and  took  no  more  with  him  but  three, 

Peter,  James,  and  John,  to  teach  us  that  a  solitary  place  is 
Then  when  he  was  come  into  this  garden, 

ccepit  expavescere,  "  he  began  to  tremble,"  insomuch  he  said, 

Tristis  est  anima  mea  usque  ad  mortem,  "  My  soul  is  heavy 

and  pensive  even  unto  death." 

This  is  a  notable  place,  and  one  of  the  most  especial  and 

chiefest  of  all  that  be  in  the  story  of  the  passion  of  Christ. 

Here  is  our  remedy :  here  we  must  have  in  consideration  all 

his  doings  and  sayings,  for  our  learning,  for  our  edification, 

for  our  comfort  and  consolation. 

First  of  all,  he  set  his  three  disciples  that  he  took  with 

him  in  an  order,  and  told  them  what  they  should  do,  saying, 
pmver  iestuse  Sedete  hie,  et  vigilate  mecum,  et  orate ;  "  Sit  here,  and  pray 
temptation,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation."  But  of  that  I  will  en- 
treat afterward.  Now  when  he  was  in  the  garden,  Cozpit 
expavescere,  he  began  to  be  heavy,  pensive,  heavy-hearted. 
I  like  not  Origen's  playing  with  this  word  cospit1 :  it  was  a 
perfect  heaviness;  it  was  such  a  one  as  was  never  seen  a2 
greater ;  it  was  not  only  the  beginning  of  a  sorrow3.  These 
doctors,  we  have  great  cause  to  thank  God  for  them,  but 
yet  I  would  not  have  them  always  to  be  allowed.  They 
have  handled  many  points  of  our  faith  very  godly ;  and  we 
may  have  a  great  stay  in  them  in  many  things ;  we  might 
not  well  lack  them :  but  yet  I  would  not  have  men  to  be 
sworn  to  them,  and  so  addict,  as  to  take  hand  over  head 
whatsoever  they  say :  it  were  a  great  inconvenience  so 
to  do. 

Well,  let  us  go  forward.  He  took  Peter,  James,  and 
John,  into  this  garden.  And  why  did  he  take  them  with 
him,  rather  than  other?  Marry,  those  that  he  had  taken 
before,  to  whom  he  had  revealed  in  the  hill  the  trans- 
figuration and  declaration  of  his  deity,  to  see  the  revelation 
of  the  majesty  of  his  Godhead,  now  in  the  garden  he  revealed 
to  the  same  the  infirmity  of  his  manhood :  because  they  had 
tasted  of  the  sweet,  he  would  they  should  taste  also  of  the 

[l  Opera,  Tom.  in.  p.  902.    Edit.  Bened.  Paris.  1740.] 
[2  the,  1549,  1562.] 

[3  it  was  not  only  the  beginning  of  a  sorrow,  supplied  from  1549, 
1562.] 


Why  Christ 
took  Peter, 
.lames,  and 
John,  into 
the  garden. 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  219 

sour.     lie  took  these  with  him  at  hoth  times :  for  two  or 
three  is  enough  to  bear  witness.      And  he  began  to  bo  heavy 
in  his  mind ;  he  was  greatly  vexed  within  himself,  he  was  Christ,  why 
sore  afflicted,  it  was  a  great  heaviness.     He  had  been  heavy  heavyrnhis 
many  times  before ;   and  he  had  suffered  great  afflictions  in  soul.  ' 
his  soid,  as  for  the  blindness  of  the  Jews ;  and  he  was  like 
to  suffer  more  pangs  of  pain  in  his  body.      But  this  pang- 
was  greater  than  any  that  he  ever4  suffered :  yea,  it  was 
a  greater  torment  unto   him,  I  think  a  greater  pain,  than 
when  he  was  hanged  on  the  cross ;  than  when  the  four  nails 
were  knocked  and  driven  through  his  hands  and  feet ;  than 
when  the  sharp  crown   of  thorns  was  thrust   on  his  head. 
This  was  the   heaviness  and  pensiveness  of  his  heart,  the 
agony  of  the  spirit.     And  as  the  soul  is  more  precious  than  painsofthe 
the  body,  even  so  is  the  pains5  of  the  soul  more  grievous  gnVou/than 
than  the  pains   of  the   body:   therefore   there  is   another6  the  body", 
which  writeth,  Horror  mortis  gravior  ipsa  niorte ;   "  The 
horror  and  ugsomeness  of  death  is  sorer  than  death  itself." 
This  is  the  most  grievous  pain  that  ever  Christ  suffered,  even 
this  pang  that  he  suffered  in  the  garden.     It  is  the  most 
notable  place,  one  of  them  in  the  whole  story  of  the  passion, 
when    he   said,  Anima  mea  tristis   est   usque   ad  mortem, 
"  My  soul  is  heavy  to  death ;"  and  cum  coepisset  expaves- 
cere,  "  when  he  began  to  quiver,  to  shake."     The  grievous- 
ness  of  it  is  declared  by  this  prayer  that  he  made :  Pater, 
si  possibile  est,  #c,   "  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  away  with 
this  cup :   rid  me  of  it."     He  understood  by  this  cup  his 
pains  of  death;  for  he  knew  well  enough  that  his  passion 
was  at  hand,  that  Judas   was  coming   upon  him  with  the 
Jews  to  take  liim. 

There  was  offered  unto  him  now  the  image  of  death;  The  image 
the  image,  the  sense,  the  feeling  of  hell :  for  death  and  hell 
go  both  together.      I  will  entreat  of  this  image  of  hell,  which 
is  death.     Truly  no  man  can  shew  it  perfectly,  yet  I  will  do  No  tongue 
the  best  I  can  to  make  you  understand  the  grievous  pangs  press  the*" 
that  our  Saviour  Christ  was  in  when  he  was  in  the  garden.  Bhnst 

,  suffered. 

As  man  s  power  is  not  able  to  bear  it,  so  no  man  s  tongue 
is  able  to  express  it.     Painters  paint  death  like  a  man  with- 
in any  he  ever,  1549,  1562.]  [5  pain,  1549.] 
[6  Erasmus,  in  his  paraphrase  on  this  passage :  "  Est  autem  mortis 
horror,  si  quando  corripuit  hominem,  vol  ipsa  niorte  acerbior."] 


220  SEVENTH     SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

bu^bSngte  out  S^in,  and  a  body  having  nothing  but  bones.  And  hell 
at  the  pangs  faej  paint  with  horrible  flames  of  burning  fire  :  they  bungle 
somewhat  at  it,  they  come  nothing  near  it.  But  this  is  no 
true  painting.  No  painter  can  paint  hell,  unless  he  could 
paint  the  torment  and  condemnation  both  of  body  and  soul ; 
the  possession  and  having  of  all  infelicity.  This  is^hell,  this 
The  deserip-  is  the   image   of  death :  this  is  hell,   such  an  evil-favoured 

tion  of  hell.  ° 

face,  such  an  uglesome  countenance,  such  an  horrible  visage 
our  Saviour  Christ  saw  of  death  and  hell  in  the  garden. 
There  is  no  pleasure  in  beholding  of  it,  but  more  pain  than 
any  tongue  can  tell.  Death  and  hell  took  unto  them  this 
evil-favoured  face  of  sin,  and  through  sin.  This  sin  is  so 
highly  hated  of  God,  that  he  doth  pronounce  it  worthy  to 
be  punished  with  lack  of  all  felicity,  with  the  feeling  of  in- 
Peathtne      felicity.     Death  and  hell  be  not  only  the  wages,  the  reward, 

stipendofsin.  J  .  "  .  ° 

the  stipend  of  sin :  but  they  are  brought  into  the  world  by 
sin.  Per  peccatum  mors,  saith  St  Paul,  "  through  sin  death 
entered  into  the  world."  Moses  sheweth  the  first  coming  in 
of  it  into  the  world.  Whereas  our  first  father  Adam  was  set 
at  liberty  to  live  for  ever,  yet  God  inhibiting  him  from  eating 
of  the  apple,  told  him :  "  If  thou  meddle  with  this  fruit,  thou 
and  all  thy  posterity  shall  fall  into  necessity  of  death,  from 
ever  living  :  morte  morieris,  thou  and  all  thy  posterity  shall 
be  subject  to  death."  Here  came  in  death  and  hell :  sin  was 
their  mother ;  therefore  they  must  have  such  an  image  as 
their  mother  sin  would  give  them. 

An  uglesome1  thing  and  an  horrible  image  must  it  needs 

be,  that  is  brought  in  by  such  a  thing  so  hated  of  God ;  yea, 

this  face  of  death  and  hell  is  so  terrible,  that  such  as  have 

been  wicked  men  had  rather  be  hanged  than  abide  it.     As 

Aehitophei    Achitophel,  that  traitor  to  David,  like  an  ambitious  wretch, 

could  not  1 

si^htofThe    thought   to   have  come  to  higher  promotion,    and  therefore 
andeheiuath  conspired    with    Absolon    against    his    master    David:    he, 
himself8*'    when   he   saw    his   counsel  took  no  place,   goes  and  hangs 
himself,  in  contemplation  of  this  evil-favoured  face  of  death, 
judas.  when  Judas  also,  when  he  came  with  bushments  to  take  his  mas- 
han  °edhe11,    ter  Christ,  in  beholding  this  horrible  face   hanged   himself, 
himself.       yea,  the  elect  people  of  God,  the  faithful,  having  the  be- 
holding  of  his   face,    (though    God   hath   always   preserved 
them,   such  a  good  God  he  is  to  them  that  believe  in  him, 
[l  ugsome,  1549.] 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  221 

that   "he   will   not   suffer   thein   to   be   tempted  above  that 

that  they  have  been  able  to  bear,")  yet  for  all  that,  there 

is  nothing  that  they  complain  more  sore  than  of  tins  horror 

of  death.      Go  to  Job,  what  saith  he  ?    Pereat  dies  in  quo  job  cursed 

natus  sum,  suspendium  elegit  anima  mea ;  "  Wo  worth  the  birth,  when" 

day  that  I  was  born  in,  my  soul  would  be  hanged :"  saying  jj^*""? 

in   Ins    pangs   almost   he   wist   not   what.      This   was   when  h°™r  of 

with  the    eye   of   his    conscience    and  the  inward  man  he 

beheld   the   horror  of  death  and  hell :    not  for  any  bodily 

pain  he  suffered ;   for  when  he  had  boils,    blotches,    blains, 

and  scabs,  he  suffered  them  patiently :  he  could  say  then,  Si 

bona  suscepi  de  manu  Domini,  &c,  "  If  Ave  have  received 

good  tilings  of  God,  why  should  we  not  suffer  likewise  evil  ? " 

It    was    not  for  any  such  thing    that    he    was  so    vexed : 

but  the  sight  of  this  face  of  death  and  hell  was  offered  to  why  job 

him  so  lively,  that  he  would  have  been  out  of  this  world. 

It  was  this  evil-favoured  face  of  death  that  so  troubled  him. 

King   David  also   said,    in  contemplation   of  this   uglesome2 

face,   Laboravi  in  gemitu  meo,    "  I  have  been  sore  vexed 

with  sighing  and  mourning."      Turbatus  est  a  furore  ocidus 

meus,  "  Mine  eye  hath  been  greatly  troubled  in  my  rage." 

A  strange  thing !  When  he  had  to  fight  with  Goliath,  that  David  feared 

•  i  11         i  i  •       i  1 1  not  Goliah 

monstrous  giant,  who  was  able  to  have  eaten  him,  he  could  the  mon- 

&  strous  giant, 

abide  him,  and  was  nothing  afraid.      And  now  what  a  work  !  Jg*^ feared 
What  exclamations  makes  he  at  the  sight  of  death  !      Jonas  Jonas  feared 

,..  ,  i  •  i      i  i  •  •  not  the  sea, 

likewise  was  bold  enough  to  bid  the  shipmen  cast  him  into  but  he  fear- 

the  sea,  he  had  not  seen  that  face  and  visage :  but  when  he 

was  in  the  whale's  belly,   and  had  there  the  beholding  of 

it,  what  terror  and  distress  abode  he !    Hezekiah,  when  he  Hezekiah 

~  ,.....,..,  .  i  .        feared  not 

saw  bemiacherib   besieging  his  city  on  every  side  most  vio-  the  mighty 
lently,   was  nothing    afraid  of  the   great  host   and   mighty  ^'j^"^ 
army  that  was  like  to   destroy  him   out  of  hand ;    yet   he lleath 
was  afraid   of  death.      When   the  prophet   came  unto  him, 
and  said,  Dispone  domui  tuce,  morte  morieris  et  non  vives, 
"  Set  thy  house  in  order,  for  thou  shalt  surely  die,  and  not 
live ;"  (2  lungs  xx.),  it  struck  him  so  to  the  heart  that  he  fell 
a-weeping.      0  Lord,  what  an  horror  was  this!     There  be 
some  writers3  that  say,  that  Peter,  James,  and  John  were  in 

[2  ugsome,  1549.] 

[3  See    Dionysius    Carthus.    in  Evangel.  Lucse,  c.  xxii. :     Thorn. 
Aquinat.  Caten.  Aur.  in  Luc.  c.  v.] 


222  SEVENTH    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

this  feeling  at  the  same  time ;  and  that  Peter,  when  he  said, 
Exi  a  me,  Domine,  quia  homo  peccator  sum,  "  Depart 
from  me,  0  Lord,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,"  did  taste  some 
part  of  it :  he  was  so  astonished,  he  wist  not  what  to  say. 
It  was  not  long  that  they  Avere  in  this  anguish ;  some  say 
longer,  some  shorter  :  but  Christ  was  ready  to  comfort  them, 
and  said  to  Peter,  Ne  timeas,  /'Be  not  afraid."  A  friend  of 
mine  told  me  of  a  certain  woman  that  was  eighteen  years  to- 
Litue  Biiney,  gethei'  in  it.  I  knew  a  man  myself,  Bilney,  little  Bilney, 
martyr  of      that  blessed  martyr  of  God,    what  time  he  had  borne   his 

God,  had  <J  ' 

ro0nriictslin  fagot>  and  was  come  again  to  Cambridge,  had  such  conflicts 
ins  mmd.  within  himself,  beholding  this  image  of  death,  that  his  friends 
were  afraid  to  let  him  be  alone :  they  were  fain  to  be  with 
him  day  and  night,  and  comforted  him  as  they  could,  but 
no  comforts  would  serve.  As  for  the  comfortable  places 
of  scripture,  to  bring  them  unto  him  it  was  as  though  a 
man  would  run  him  through  the  heart  with  a  sword ;  yet 
Biiney  took  afterward,  for  all  this,  he  was  revived,  and  took  his  death 

his  death 

patiently,      patiently,  and  died  well  against  the  tyrannical  see  of  Rome1. 

Wo  will  be  to  that  bishop,  that  had  the  examination  of  him, 

if  he  repented  not ! 

a  good  Here  is  a  good  lesson  for  you,  my  friends ;  if  ever  you 

s"i^nforethe come   m   danger,   in   durance,   in  prison  for  God's  quarrel, 

words  sake.  an(\  hjs  sa]i6j  as  ]ie  (jij  for  purgatory-matters,  and  put  to 

bear  a  fagot  for  preaching  the  true  word  of  God  against 

pilgrimage,  and    such  like   matters,   I  will  advise  you  first, 

and  above  all  things,    to  abjure  all  your  friends,    all   your 

friendships ;  leave  not  one  unabjured.     It  is  they  that  shall 

undo  you,  and  not  your  enemies.      It  was  his  very  friends 

that  brought  Bilney  to  it. 

By  this   it   may   somewhat   appear    what    our    Saviour 

Christ  suffered ;   he  doth  not  dissemble  it  himself,  when  he 

Christ  was  in  saith,    "  My  soul   is   heavy  to   death :"   he   was   in  so  sore 

sore  agony,  . 

an  agony,  that  there  issued  out  of  him,  as  I  shall  entreat 
anon,  drops  of  blood.  An  ugsome  thing  surely,  which  this 
fact  and  deed  sheweth  us,  what  horrible  pains  he  was  in 
for  our  sakes  !  But  you  will  say,  "  How  can  this  be  ?  It 
were   possible  that  I,   and   such  other  as  be  great  sinners, 

I1  Sir  Thomas  More  notwithstanding  tries  to  make  out  that 
Bilney  died  in  communion  with  the  Church  of  Rome.  Works,  pp. 
349,  350.     But  see  the  account  in  Foxe,  Book  vin.] 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  223 

should  suffer  such  affliction;  the  Son  of  God,  what  our  Sa- 
viour Christ,  [who]  never  sinned,  how  can  this  stand  that 
he  should  be  thus  handled  ?     He  never  deserved  it." 

Marry,  I   will    tell   you  how.     We   must   consider   our  Christ  was 
Saviour  Christ  two  ways,  one  way  in  his  manhood,  another  TdlXhent~ 
in  liis  Godhead.      Some  places  of  scripture  must  be  referred  !Xns"i" 

•      t-v    •  -i-i  •  x        l  •        r\  his  (jodluail. 

to  his  Deity,  and  some  to  his  humanity.  In  his  Godhead 
he  suffered  nothing  ;  but  now  he  made  himself  void  of  his 
Deity,  as  scripture  saith,  Cum  esset  in  forma  Dei,  exina- 
nivit  seipsum,  "Whereas  he  was  in  the  form  of  God,  he 
emptied  himself  of  it,  he  did  hide  it,  and  used  himself  as 
though  he  had  not  had  it."  He  would  not  help  himself  with 
his  Godhead;  "he  humbled  himself  with  all  obedience  unto 
death,  even  to  the  death  of  the  cross :"  this  was  in  that 
he  was  man.  He  took  upon  him  our  sins2:  not  the  work  Christ  was 
of  sin ;  I  mean  not  so  :  not  to  do  it,  not  to  commit  it ;  ^greatest 
but  to  purge  it,  to  cleanse  it,  to  bear   the   stipend  of  it :  worM,  be- 

°  ,  cause  he 

and  that  way  he  was  the  great3  sinner  of  the  world.      He  '"<*  ui'on. 

«  O  him  our  sins. 

bare  all  the  sin  of  the  world  on  his  back;  he  would  become 

debtor  for  it. 

Now  to  sustain  and  suffer  the  dolours  of  death  is  not  Ch,rist  is  *e 

on'y  Pur_ 
to  sin :  but  he  came  into  this  world  with  his  passion  to  purge  ^rsin0f 

our  sins.     Now  this  that  he  suffered  in  the  garden  is  one  of 

the  bitterest  pieces   of  all   his  passion :   this  fear   of  death 

was    the    bitterest    pain    that    ever    he    abode,    due  to   sin 

which   he  never   did,   but  became  debtor  for  us.     All  this 

he  suffered  for  us ;   this  he  did  to  satisfy  for  our  sins.    It 

is  much   like   as  if  I  owed   another   man   twenty  thousand 

pounds,  and  should  pay  it  out  of  hand,   or  else  go  to  the 

dungeon  of  Ludgate4;  and  when  I  am  going  to  prison,  one  of 

my  friends  should  come,  and  ask,  "Whither  goeth  this  man?" 

and  after   he  had  heard  the  matter,   should  say,   "Let  me  The  notable 

answer  for  him,  I  will  become  surety  for  him  :  yea,  I  will  Christ  shew- 

pay  all  for  him."     Such  a  part  played  our  Saviour  Christ kirul- 

with  us.      If  he  had  not  suffered  this,  I  for  my  part  should 

[2  our  sins:  our  sins  not  the  work  of  sin,  1549,  1562.] 

[3  greatest,  1571,  1584.] 

[4  Ludgate  was  the  most  western  gate  of  the  old  city  of  London, 
and  to  it  was  formerly  attached  a  prison  for  all  freemen  of  the  city, 
who  might  be  imprisoned  "for  debt,  trespasses,  accounts  and  con- 
tempts."    Stowe,  Survey  of  London,  edited  by  Strype,  Vol.  I.  p.  20.] 


224  SEVENTH    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sEHJM. 

have  suffered,  according  to  the  gravity  and  quantity  of  my 

Theater    sins,  damnation.     For  the  greater   the   sin   is,   the  greater 

thf'^n"      *s  ^ie  punishment   in   hell.     He   suffered  for  you  and  me, 

in   such   a   degree   as  is   due  to  all  the  sins  of  the  whole 

world.     It  was  as  if  you  would  imagine  that  one  man  had 

committed   all   the  sins  since  Adam :    you  may  be  sure   he 

should  be  punished  with  the  same  horror  of  death,  in  such 

a  sort  as  all  men  in  the  world  should  have  suffered.       Feign 

and  put  case,  our  Saviour  Christ  had  committed  all  the  sins  of 

the  world ;  all  that  I  for  my  part  have  done,  all  that  you  for 

your  part  have  done,  and  that  any  man  else  hath  done :  if  he 

had  done  all  this  himself,   his  agony  that  he  suffered  should 

have  been  no  greater  nor  grievouser  than  it  was.      This  that 

His  suffering  he  suffered  in  the  garden  was  a  portion,  I  say,  of  his  passion, 

was  biuer e"  and  one  of  the  bitterest  parts  of  it.      And  this  he  suffered  for 

and  painful.  .  .  i-iii  •-,-,• 

our  sins,  and  not  for  any  sins  that  he  had  committed  himself : 

for  all  we  should  have  suffered,  every  man  according  to  his 

why  Christ    own  deserts.      This  he  did  of  his  goodness,  partly  to  puree 

suffered  such  ,     ,  .  .,  °.  i  i    .  i„, 

pains.  and  cleanse  our  sins,  partly  because  he  would  taste  and  feel 

our   miseries,   quo  possit  succurrere  nobis,   "  that  he  should 
the  rather  help  and  relieve  us ;"  and  partly  he  suffered  to 
give  us  example  to   behave   ourselves  as   he   did.     He  did 
not  suffer,  to  discharge  us  clean  from  death,  to  keep  us  clean 
from  it,  not  to  taste  of  it.    Nay,  nay,  you  must  not  take  it  so. 
shaiibehoid  We  sna^  have  the  beholding  of  this  ugsome  face  every  one  of 
facelo?death.  us ;  we  shall  feel  it  ourselves.     Yet  our  Saviour  Christ  did 
suffer,  to  the  intent  to  signify  to  us  that  death  is  overcome- 
How  we  shaii  able.     We  shall  indeed  overcome  it,  if  we  repent,  and  ac- 
death.  knowledge  that  our    Saviour   Jesu    Christ  pacified  with  his 

pangs  and  pains  the  wrath  of  the  Father  ;  having  a  love 
to  walk  in  the  ways  of  God.  If  we  believe  in  Jesu  Christ, 
we  shall  overcome  death :  I  say  it  shall  not  prevail  against  us. 
Wherefore,  whensoever  it  chanceth  thee,  my  friend,  to  have 
the  tasting  of  this  death,  that  thou  shalt  be  tempted  with  this 
horror  of  death,  what  is  to  be  done  then  ?  Whensoever  thou 
what  is  to  be  feelest  thy  soul  heavy  to  death,  make  haste  and  resort  to  this 

done  when  ... 

ohfedeath°r     garden ;   and  with  this  faith  thou  shalt  overcome  this  terror 
cometh.        when  it  cometh.      Oh,  it  was   a  grievous  thing  that  Christ 
suffered  here !    0  the  greatness  of  this  dolour  that  he  suffer- 
ed in  the  garden,  partly  to  make  amends  for  our  sins,  and 
partly  to  deliver  us  from  death;  not  so  that  we  should  not 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  225 

die  bodily,  but  that  this  death  should  be  a  way  to  a  better 
life,  and  to  destroy  and  overcome  hell !  Our  Saviour  Christ 
had  a  garden,  but  he  had  little  pleasure  in  it.  You  have 
many  goodly  gardens :  I  would  you  would  in  the  midst  of 
them  consider  what  agony  our  Saviour  Christ  suffered  in 
his  garden.     A  goodly  meditation  to  have  in  your  gardens !  a  meditation 

o  .  .  ...  for  lls  '"  "'"' 

It  shall  occasion  you  to  delight  no  farther  in  vanities,  but  gardens, 
to  remember  what  he  suffered  for  you.      It  may  draw  you 
from  sin.      It  is  a  good  monument,  a  good  sign,  a  good  moni- 
tion, to  consider  how  he  behaved  himself  in  this  garden. 

Well ;  he  saith  to  his  disciples,  "  Sit  here  and  pray  with 
me."  He  went  a  little  way  off,  as  it  were  a  stone's  cast 
from  them,  and  falleth  to  his  prayer,  and  saith :  Pater,  si 
possibile  est,  transeat  a  me  calix  iste ;  "  Father,  if  it  be  pos- 
sible, away  with  this  bitter  cup,  this  outrageous  pain."  Yet 
after  he  corrects  himself,  and  says,  Veruntamen  non  sicut 
ego  volo,  sed  sicut  tu  vis ;  "  Not  my  will,  but  thy  will  be 
done,  O  Father."  Here  is  a  good  meditation  for  christian 
men  at  all  times,  and  not  only  upon  Good  Friday.  Let 
Good  Friday  be  every  day  to  a  christian  man,  to  know  to  Every  day 
use  his  passion  to  that  end  and  purpose ;  not  only  to  read  Good  Fri- 
the  story,   but  to   take  the  fruit  of  it.      Some  men,  if  they  christian 

.  .  "    man. 

had  been  in  this  agony,  would  have  run  themselves  through 
with  their  swords,  as  Saul  did :  some  would  have  hanged  1  sam.  xxxi. 
themselves,  as  Achitophel  did.     Let  us  not  follow  these  men,  2  sam.  xvu. 
they  be  no  examples  for  us ;  but  let  us  follow  Christ,  which 
in  his  agony  resorted  to  his  Father  with  his  prayer.      This 
must  be  our  pattern  to  work  by. 

Here  I  might  dilate  the  matter  as  touching  praying  to  we  must 

to  ,  •/-.?•       pray  to  God, 

saints.  Here  we  may  learn  not  to  pray  to  saints.  Christ  ami  not  to 
bids  us,  Ora  Patrem  qui  est  in  cadis,  "  Pray  to  thy  Father 
that  is  in  heaven ;"  to  the  Creator,  and  not  to  any  creature. 
And  therefore  away  with  these  avowries1  :  let  God  alone  be 
our  avowry.  What  have  we  to  do  to  run  hither  or  thither, 
but  only  to  the  Father  of  heaven  ?  I  will  not  tarry  to  speak 
of  this  matter. 

Our  Saviour  Christ  set  his  disciples  in  an  order,  and  com- 
manded them  to  watch  and  pray,  saying,  Vigilate  et  orate ; 
"  Watch  and  pray."  Whereto  should  they  watch  and  pray  ? 
He  saith  by  and  by,  ne  intretis  in  tentationem,  "  that  ye 

[!  avowries,  protectors — advoeria,  protection,  guardianship.] 

r  1  15 

[LATIMER. J 


226  SEVENTH    SERMON    PREACHED    REFORE  [sEHM. 


why  the  dis-  enter  not  into  temptation."     He  bids  them  not  pray  that  we 

ciples  were  *  it/ 

commanded  \ye  not  tempted  ;  for  that  is  as  much  to  say,  as  to  pray  that 
we  should  be  out  of  this  world.  There  is  no  man  in  this 
world  without  temptation.  In  the  time  of  prosperity  we 
are  tempted  to  wantonness,  pleasures,  and  all  lightness; 
in  time  of  adversity,  to  despair  in  God's  goodness.  Tempta- 
a  difference  tion  never  ceases.  There  is  a  difference  between  being 
beinVgeetemPt-  tempted,  and   entering  into  temptation.     He  bids  therefore 

ed  and  enter-  *■  i 

tem"tation  not  to  Pray  tnat  tney  "e  not  tempted,  but  that  they  " enter 
not  into  temptation."  To  be  tempted  is  no  evil  thing.  For 
what  is  it  ?  No  more  than  when  the  flesh,  the  devil  and  the 
world,  doth  solicit  and  move  us  against  God.  To  give  place 
to  these  suggestions,  and  to  yield  ourselves,  and  suffer  us  to 
be  overcome  of  them,  this  is  to  enter  into  temptation.      Our 

The  apostles  Saviour  Christ  knew  that  they  should  be  grievously  tempted, 

were  warned  .  "  °  «/  x 

of  their        and  therefore  he  gave  them  warning  that  they  should  not 

temptation.  °  o  J 

give  place  to  temptation,  nor  despair  at  his  death  :  and  if 
they  chanced  to  forsake  him,  or  to  run  away,  in  case  they 
tripped  or  swerved,  yet  to  come  again. 

But  our  Saviour  Christ  did  not  only  command  his  disci- 
ples to  pray,  but  fell   down  upon  Ms  knees  flat  upon  the 
Christ  did     ground,  and  prayed  himself,  saying,  Pater,  si  fieri  potest, 
agony.         trmiseat  a  me  calix  iste ;  "  Father,  deliver  me  of  this  pang 
and  pain  that  I  am  in,  this  outrageous   pain.""     This  word, 
"  Father,"  came  even  from  the  bowels  of  his  heart,  when  he 
made  his  moan  ;  as  who  should  say,  "Father,  rid  me  ;  I  am  in 
such  pain  that  I  can  be  in  no  greater !  Thou  art  my  Father, 
I  am  thy   Son.     Can  the  Father  forsake  his  son  in  such 
anguish?"  Thus  he  made  his  moan.   "Father,  take  away  this 
horror  of  death  from  me ;  rid  me  of  this  pain ;  suffer  me  not 
to  be  taken  when  Judas  comes ;  suffer  me  not  to  be  hanged 
on  the  cross ;  suffer  not  my  hands  to  be  pierced  with  nails, 
Christ  shew-  nor  my  heart  with  the  sharp  spear."     A  wonderful  thing, 
very  man,     that  he  should  so  oft  tell  his  disciples  of  it  before,  and  now, 

and  to  have  .  •L.  , 

aii  the  infer-  when  he  cometh  to  the  point,  to  desire  to  be  rid  of  it,  as 

initios  that  A  '  ' 

man  hath,  though  he  would  have  been  disobedient  to  the  will  of  his 
Father.  Afore  he  said,  he  came  to  suffer ;  and  now  he  says, 
away  with  this  cup.  Who  would  have  thought  that  ever  this 
gear  should  have  come  out  of  Christ's  mouth  ?  What  a  case 
is  this !  What  should  a  man  say  ?  You  must  understand,  that 

Christ  took    Christ  took  upon  him  our  infirmities,  of  the  which  this  was 

upon  him  all  y 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  227 

one,  to  be  sorry  at  death.     Among  the  stipends  of  sin,  this  our  innrmi- 
was  one,  to  tremble  at  the  cross :  this  is  a  punishment  for  sin. 
our  sin. 

It  goeth  otherways  with  us  than  with  Christ :  if  we 
were  in  like  case,  and  in  like  agony,  almost  we  would  curse 
God,  or  rather  wish  that  there  were  no  God.  This  that  he 
said  was  not  of  that  sort ;  it  was  referring  the  matter  to  the 
will  of  his  Father.  But  wo  seek  by  all  means,  be  it  right,  be 
it  wrong,  of  our  own  nature  to  be  rid  out  of  pain  :  he  desired 
it  conditionally,  as  it  might  stand  with  his  Father's  will ;  add- 
ing a  veruntamen  to  it.  So  his  request  was  to  shew  the 
infirmity  of  man.  Here  is  now  an  example  what  we  shall  do  An  example 

i  •       1.1  t-t  i  i     •  i  for  us  when 

when  we  are  in  like  case.     He  never  deserved  it,  we  have,  we  are  tempt- 
ed. 

He  had  a  veruntamen,  and  notwithstanding1  :  let  us  have  so 

to.     We  must  have  a  "  nevertheless,  thy  will  be  done,  and 

not  mine :   give  me  grace  to  be  content,  to  submit  my  will 

unto  thine."     His  fact  teachetli  us  what  to  do.     This  is  our  when  weare 

surgery,  our  physic,  when  we  be  in  agony :  and  reckon  upon  what  piysie 

it,  friends,  we  shall  come  to  it ;  we  shall  feel  it  at  one  time  or  "se- 

another. 

What  doth  he  now  ?  What  came  to  pass  now,  when  he 
had  heard  no  voice,  his  Father  was  dumb  ?  He  resorts  to  his 
friends,  seeking  some  comfort  at  their  hands.  Seeing  he  had 
none  at  his  Father's  hand,  he  cometh  to  his  disciples,  and 
finds  them  asleep.  He  spake  unto  Peter,  and  said,  "Ah  Peter, 
art  thou  asleep?"  Peter  before  had  bragged  stoutly,  as  though 
he  would  have  killed,  (God  have  mercy  upon  his  soul!)  and  now, 
when  he  should  have  comforted  Christ,  he  was  asleep.  Not 
once  buff  nor  baff  to  him  :  not  a  word.  He  was  fain  to  say 
to  his  disciples,  Vigilate  et  orate,  "  Watch  and  pray ;  the  watch  and 
spirit  is  ready,  but  the  flesh  is  weak  :"  he  had  never  a  word 
of  them  again.  They  might  at  the  least  have  said,  "  0  Sir, 
remember  yourself ;  are  you  not  Christ  ?  Came  not  you  into 
this  world  to  redeem  sin  ?  Be  of  good  cheer,  be  of  good  com- 
fort:  this  sorrow  will  not  help  you;  comfort  yourself  by 
your  own  preaching.  You  have  said,  Oportet  Filium  hominis 
pati,  '  It  behoveth  the  Son  of  man  to  suffer.'  You  have  not 
deserved  any  thing,  it  is  not  your  fault."  Indeed,  if  they  had 
done  this  with  him,  they  had  played  a  friendly  part  with  him; 
but  they  gave  him  not  so  much  as  one  comfortable  word. 
f1  a  notwithstanding,  1549.] 

15—2 


pray. 


228  SEVENTH  SERMON  PREACHED  BEFORE        [sERM. 

We  run  to  our  friends  in  our  distresses  and  agonies,  as  though 
we  had  all  our  trust  and  confidence  in  them.      He  did  not  so ; 
he  resorted  to  them,  but  trusted  not  in  them.      We  will  run 
to   our  friends,  and  come   no   more   to    God ;    he    returned 
we  shaii       again.      What !   Shall  we  not  resort  to  our  friends  in  time  of 
friend^1        need  ?  And,  trow  ye,  we  shall  not  find  them  asleep  ?  Yes,  I 
s  eepmg.       warrant,  yOU :  an(J  when  we  need  their  help  most,  we  shall 
not  have  it.      But  what  shall  we  do,  when  we  shall  find  lack 
in  them  ?  We  will  cry  out  upon  them,  upbraid  them,  chide, 
brawl,  fume,  chafe,  and  backbite  them.      But  Christ  did  not 
so ;   he  excused  his  friends,  saying,  Vigilate  et  orate ;  spi- 
ritus  quidem  promptus  est,  caro  autem  infirma:  "0  !"  quoth 
he,  "  watch  and  pray  :  I  see  well  the  spirit  is  ready,  but  the 
flesh  is  weak."     What  meaneth  this  ?    Surely  it  is  a  comfort- 
able place.      For  as  long  as  Ave  live  in  this  world,  when  we 
be  at  the  best,  we  have  no  more  but  promptitudinem  spiri- 
tus  cum  infirmitate  carnis,  the  readiness  of  the  spirit  with 
the  infirmity    of  the   flesh.      The   very   saints  of  God  said, 
Rom.vii.       Velle  adest  mihi,  "My  will  is  good,  but  I  am  not  able  to 
perform  it."     I  have  been  with  some,  and  fain  they  would, 
fain  they  would :  there  was  readiness  of  spirit,  but  it  would 
not  be ;  it  grieved  them  that  they  could  not  take  things  as 
™tetMhere"  they  should  do.      The  flesh  resisteth  the  work  of  the  Holy 
spint.  Ghost  in  our  hearts,  and  lets  it,  lets  it.     We  have  to  pray 

ever  to  God.  0  prayer,  prayer  !  that  it  might  be  used  in 
this  realm,  as  it  ought  to  be  of  all  men,  and  specially  of  ma- 
gistrates, of  counsellors,  of  great  rulers ;  to  pray,  to  pray 
that  it  would  please  God  to  put  godly  policies  in  their  hearts! 
Call  for  assistance. 

I  have  heard  say,  when  that  good  queen1  that  is  gone 
had  ordained  in  her  house  daily  prayer  both  before  noon, 
and  after  noon,  the  admiral  gets  him  out  of  the  way,  like  a 
mole  digging  in  the  earth.  He  shall  be  Lot's  wife  to  me  as 
long  as  I  live.  He  was,  I  heard  say,  a  covetous  man,  a 
covetous  man  indeed2 :  I  would  there  were  no  more  in 
England !  He  was,  I  heard  say,  an  ambitious3  man :  I  would 
there  were  no  more  in  England !  He  was,  I  heard  say,  a 
seditious4  man,  a  contemner  of  common  prayer  :  I  would  there 

[l  Catherine  Par,  who  married  the  lord  admiral  Seymour.] 
[2  He  was  a  covetous  man ;  an  horrihle  covetous  man,  1549.] 
[3  He  was  an  ambitious,  1549.]      [4  He  was  a  seditious,  1549.] 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  229 

were  no  more  in  England  !  Well :  he  is  gone5.  I  would  he 
had  left  none  behind  him !  Remember  you,  my  lords,  that 
you  pray  in  your  houses  to  the  better  mortification  of  your 
flesh.  Remember,  God  must  be  honoured.  I  will  you  to 
pray,  that  God  will  continue  his  Spirit  in  you.  I  do  not 
put  you  in  comfort,  that  if  ye  have  once  the  Spirit,  ye  cannot 
lose  it.  There  be  new  spirits  start  up  now  of  late6,  that  say, 
after  we  have  received  the  Spirit,  we  cannot  sin.  I  will 
make  but  one  argument :  St  Paul  had  brought  the  Galatians 
to  the  profession  of  the  faith,  and  left  them  in  that  state ; 
they  had  received  the  Spirit  once,  but  they  sinned  again,  as 
he  testified  of  them  himself :  he  saith,  Currebatis  bene ;  ye 
were  once  in  a  right  state :  and  again,  Recepistis  Spiritum  we  may 

.7  i       .  .    .         /Tt    .  n     i-w  .1  iii        have  the 

ex  opembus  legis  an  ex  yustitia  fidei  /  Once  they  had  the  spirit,  and 
Spirit  by  faith ;  but  false  prophets  came,  when  he  was  wards- 
gone  from  them,  and  they  plucked  them  clean  away  from 
all  that  Paul  had  planted  them  in :  and  then  said  Paul 
unto  them,  O  stulti  Galati,  quis  vos  fascinavit  ?  "  0 
foolish  Galatians,  who  hath  bewitched  you?"  If  this  be 
true,  Ave  may  lose  the  Spirit  that  we  have  once  possessed. 
It  is  a  fond  thing  :  I  will  not  tarry  in  it.  But  now  to 
the  passion  again. 

Christ  had  been  with  his  Father,  and  felt  no  help :  he 
had  been  with  his  friends,  and  had  no  comfort :  he  had  prayed 
twice,  and  was  not  heard  :  what  did  he  now  ?  Did  he  give 
prayer  over  ?     No,  he  goeth  again  to  his  Father,  and  saith  Christ  con- 

!  •  n      i  •/>    •       1  -ii  •  -i        i  •     tinned  in 

the  same  agam :  "  t  ather,  it  it  be  possible,  away  with  this  prayer. 
cup."  Here  is  an  example  for  us,  although  we  be  not  heard 
at  the  first  time,  shall  we  give  over  our  prayer?  Nay,  we 
must  to  it  again.  7[We  must  be  importune  upon  God.]  We 
must  be  instant  in  prayer.  He  prayed  thrice,  and  was  not 
heard;. let  us  pray8  threescore  times.  Folks  are  very  dull 
now-a-days  in  prayer,  to  come  to  sermons,  to  resort  to  com-  House- 
mon  prayer.      You  house-keepers,  and  especially  great  men,  greftmen 

,  „  .  .  must  give 

give  example  ot  prayer  in  your  houses.  example  of 

Well;  did  his  Father  look  upon  him  this  second  time? 
No,  he  went  to  his  friends  again,  thinking  to  find  some  com- 

P  He  is  gone,  1549.] 

[6  The  Familists,  or  followers  of  David  George.] 

[7  From  1549.] 

[8  let  us  sinners  pray,  1549.] 


230  SEVENTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

fort  there,  but  he  finds  them  asleep  again ;  more  deep  asleep 
than  ever  they  were :  their  eyes  were  heavy  with  sleep ; 
there  was  no  comfort  at  all ;  they  wist  not  what  to  say  to 
him.  A  wonderful  thing,  how  he  was  tost  from  post  to 
pillar ;  one  while  to  his  Father,  and  was  destitute  at  his 
hand ;  another  while  to  his  friends,  and  found  no  comfort  at 
them :  his  Father  gave  him  looking  on,  and  suffered  him  to 
bite  upon  the  bridle  awhile.  Almighty  God  beheld  this  bat- 
tle, that  he  might  enjoy  the1  honour  and  glory;  "that  in 
his  name  all  knees  should  bow,  ccelestium,  terrestrium  et  in- 
fernorum,  in  heaven,  earth,  and  hell."  This,  that  the  Father 
would  not  hear  his  own  Son,  was  another  punishment  due  to 
our  sin.  When  we  cry  unto  him,  he  will  not  hear  us.  The 
prophet  Jeremy  saith,  Clamabunt  ad  me  et  ego  non  exau- 
diam  eos ;  "  They  shall  cry  unto  me,  and  I  will  not  hear 
them."  These  be  Jeremy's  words:  here  he  threateneth  to 
ood  punish-  punish  sin  with  not  hearing  their  prayers.  The  prophet  saith, 
hiring  of     "  They  have  not  had  the  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes,  nor 

our  prayers.  "  ,      .    ..  .  * 

have  not  regarded  discipline  and  correction."     1  never  saw, 

surely,  so   little   discipline  as  is   now-a-days.     Men  will  be 

masters ;  they  will  be  masters  and  no  disciples.     Alas,  where 

people  arc     is  this  discipline  now  in  England?     The  people  regard  no 

"i-iei  or        discipline;  they  be  without  all  order.     Where  they  should 

honesty.  x  «  .  "  , 

give  place,  they  will  not  stir  one  inch :  yea,  where  magis- 
trates should  determine  matters,  they  will  break  into  the 
place  before  they  come,  and  at  their  coming  not  move  a  whit 
for  them.  Is  this  discipline  ?  Is  this  good  order  ?  If  a  man 
say  anything  unto  them,  they  regard  it  not.  They  that  be 
called  to  answer,  will  not  answer  directly,  but  scoff  the  matter 
The  more  we  out.     Men  the  more  they  know,  the  worse  they  be ;   it  is 

know,the  .  .        .     „  ,  , 

worse  we  be.  truly  said,  saentia  inflat,  "knowledge  maketh  us  proud,  and 

causeth  us  to  forget  all,  and  set  away  discipline."      Surely  in 

Iotimefter    P°PeiT  ^ney  na,d  a  reverence;  but  now  we  have  none  at  all. 

reverence,     I  never  saw  the  like.     This  same  lack  of  the  fear  of  God  and 

atau.ownone  discipline  in  us  was  one  of  the  causes  that  the  Father  would 

not  hear  his  Son.      This  pain  suffered  our  Saviour  Christ  for 

us,  who  never  deserved  it.      0,  what  it  was  that  he  suffered 

in  this  garden,  till  Judas  came !    The  dolours,  the  terrors,  the 

why  ciuist   sorrows  that  he  suffered  be  unspeakable  !     He  suffered  partly 

"'mic'i'i1  "lc     *"0  ina^c  amends  for  our  sins,  and  partly  to  give  us  example, 

[l  that  honour,  1549.]  . 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  231 

what  we  should  do  in  like  case.     What  comes  of  this  gear  in 
the  end  ? 

AVell ;  now  he  prayeth  again,  he  resorteth  to  his  Father 
again.  Angore  correplus  ^>folixius  orabat :  he  was  in  sorer 
pains,  in  more  anguish  than  ever  he  was ;  and  therefore  he 
prayeth  longer,  more  ardently,  more  fervently,  more  vehe- 
mently, than  ever  he  did  before.  0  Lord,  what  a  wonderful 
thing  is  this!  This  horror  of  death  is  worse  than  death  itself, 
and  is  more  ugsome,  2[more  bitter  than  any  bodily  death.] 
He  prayeth  now  the  third  time.  He  did  it  so  instantly,  so  Christ,  prayed 
fervently,  that  it  brought  out  a  bloody  sweat,  and  in  such  time  and 

«  o  «/  sweateth 

plenty,  that  it  dropped  down  even  to  the  ground.     There blood- 

issued  out  of  his  precious  body  drops  of  blood.     What  a  pain 

was  he  in,  when  these  bloody  drops  fell  so  abundantly  from 

him  !    Yet  for  all  that,  how  unthankful  do  we  shew  ourselves  our  unthank- 

toward  hint  that  died  only  for  our  sakes,  and  for  the  remedy  ingratitude  to 

"  .  '    God  which 

of  our  sins !  0  what  blasphemy  do  we  commit  day  by  day  1  died  for  us- 
what  little  regard  have  we  to  his  blessed  passion,  thus  to 
swear  by  God's  blood,  by  Christ's  passion !    We  have  nothing 
in  our  pastime,  but  "  God's  blood,"  "  God's  wounds."     We  Blasphemous 

ii      i  i         i  i  •  •  •      i  i  •  i  •  t   •  swearing  in 

continually  blaspheme  his  passion,  in  hawking,  hunting,  clicmg,  *n  our 
and  carding.    Who  would  think  he  should  have  such  enemies 
among  those  that  profess  his  name?     What  became  of  his 
blood  that  fell  down,  trow  ye?     Was  the  blood  of  Hales3  of  The  wood  of 

*  .  Hales  was 

it  ?     Wo  worth  it !     What  ado  was  there  to  bring  tins  out  ^n  once 

O  for  a  religious 

of  the  king's  head !    This  great  abomination,  of  the  blood  of reIie- 
Hales,  could  not  be  taken  a  great  while  out  of  his  mind. 

You  that  be  of  the  court,  and  especially  ye  sworn  chap- 
lains, beware  of  a  lesson  that  a  great  man  taught  me  at  my 
iirst  coming  to  the  court :  he  told  me  for  good-will ;  he 
thought  it  well.  He  said  to  me,  "You  must  beware,  howsoever 
ye  do,  that  ye  contrary  not  the  king;  let  him  have  his  say- a  meet  lesson 
ings;  follow  him;  go  with  him."  Marry,  out  upon  this  coun-  totearn?"*" 
sel !  Shall  I  say  as  he  says  ?  Say  your  conscience,  or  else 
what  a  worm  shall  ye  feel  gnawing  ;  what  a  remorse  of  con- 
science shall  ye  have,  when  ye  remember  how  ye  have  slacked 

[2  From  1549.] 

[3  A  noted  relic,  kept  in  the  abbey  of  Hales  in  Gloucestershire. 
It  was  said  to  be  a  portion  of  our  Saviour's  blood,  but  when  examined 
it  was  found  to  be  coloured  honey.  Hearne,  Benedict.  Abbat.  Tom.  n. 
pp.  751,  &c] 


232  SEVENTH    .SERMON    PREACHED     BEFORE  [sERM. 

your  duty  !     It  is  a  good  wise  verse,  Gutta  cavat   lapidem 

non  vi  sed  scepe  cadendo ;  "  The  drop  of  rain  maketh  a  hole 

a  prince-s     in  the  stone,  not  by  violence,  but  by  oft  falling."      Likewise 

mind  is  to  be  J  •    i         i         i  i 

notsvfo'imti  a  Prmce  must  be  turned ;  not  violently,  but  he  must  be  won 
forced.  by  a  little  and  a  little.  He  must  have  his  duty  told  him ; 
but  it  must  be  done  with  humbleness,  with  request  of  pardon; 
or  else  it  were  a  dangerous  thing.  Unpreaching  prelates 
have  been  the  cause,  that  the  blood  of  Hales  did  so  long  blind 
the  king.  Wo  worth  that  such  an  abominable  thing  should 
be  in  a  christian  realm!  But  thanks  be  to  God,  it  was  partly 
redressed  in  the  king's  days  that  dead  is,  and  much  more 
now.  God  grant  good-will  and  power  to  go  forward,  if  there 
be  any  such  abomination  behind,  that  it  may  be  utterly 
rooted  up ! 

0  how  happy  are  we,  that  it  hath  pleased  Almighty  God 
to  vouchsafe  that  his  Son  should  sweat  blood  for  the  redeem- 
ing of  our  sins !  And,  again,  how  unhappy  are  we,  if  we 
will  not  take  it  thankfully,  that  were  redeemed  so  painfully  ! 
Alas,  what  hard  hearts  have  we !  Our  Saviour  Christ  never 
sinned,  and  yet  sweat  he  blood  for  our  sins.  We  will  not 
sinishon-i-    once  water  our  eyes  with  a  few  tears.     What  an  horrible 

Me,  and  why.  ..  " 

thmg  is  sm ;  that  no  other  thing  would  remedy  and  pay  the 
ransom  for  it,  but  only  the  blood  of  our  Saviour  Christ ! 
There  was  nothing  to  pacify  the  Father's  wrath  against  man, 
but  such  an  agony  as  he  suffered.  All  the  passion  of  all  the 
martyrs  that  ever  were,  all  the  sacrifices  of  patriarchs  that 
ever  were,  all  the  good  works  that  ever  were  done,  were 
not  able  to  remedy  our  sin,  to  make  satisfaction  for  our  sins, 
chrisfs  death  nor  any  thing  besides,   but  this   extreme  passion    and  blood- 

and  passion         ....  -  • ,.   i    n        •  /-mi      • 

was  the  only  shedding  of  our  most  merciful  Saviour  Christ. 

remedy  for  <-> 

oursin-  But  to  draw  toward  an  end.    What  became  of  this  three- 

fold prayer?  At  the  length,  it  pleased  God  to  hear  his  Son's 
prayer ;  and  sent  him  an  angel  to  corroborate,  to  strengthen, 
to  comfort  him.  Christ  needed  no  angel's  help,  if  he  had 
listed  to  ease  liimself  with  his  deity.     He  was  the  Son  of 

why  chnst    God :  what  then  ?     Forsomuch  as  he  was  man,  he  received 

received  „  ,     „        . 

comfort  at  the  angel's  hand ;  as  it  accords  to  our  infirmity. 
His  obedience,  his  continuance,  and  suffering,  so  pleased  the 
Note  a  com-   Father  of  heaven,  that  for  his  Son's  sake,  be  he  never  so 

fortable  .  .....  ..  „ 

promise  and   great,  a  sinner,  leaving  Jus  sm,  and  repenting  tor  the  same, 
saying.         hc  -will  owe  him  such  favour  as  though  he  had  never  com- 


eomfort  of 
the  angel. 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  233 

mitted  any  sin.     The  Father  of  heaven  will  not  suffer  him  to 

be  tempted  with  this  great  horror  of  death  and  hell  to  the 

uttermost,  and  above  that  he  is  able  to  bear.     Look  for  it, 

my  friends,  by  him  and  through  him,  we1   shall  be  able  to 

overcome  it.      Let  us  do  as  pur  Saviour  Christ  did,  and  we  a  lesson  for 

shall  have  help  from  above,  we  shall  have  angels'  help :  if  temptation. 

we  trust  in  him,  heaven  and  earth  shall  give  up,  rather  than 

we  shall  lack  help.    He  saith  he  is  Adjutor  in  necessitatibus, 

"  an  helper  in  time  of  need." 

When  the  angel  had  comforted  him,  and  when  this  horror 

of  death  was  gone,  he  was  so  strong,  that  he  offered  himself 

to  Judas ;  and  said,  "I  am  he."     To  make  an  end  :   I  pray 

you  take  pains :  it  is  a  day  of  penance,  as  we  use  to  say,  give 

me  leave  to  make  you  weary  this  day.     The  Jews  had  liim  The  horror  of 

to  Caiaphas  and  Annas,  and  there  they  whipped  him,  and  the  a«ony 
i         i.i  ^i  i  i-ii  which  christ 

beat  him  :  they  set  a  crown  ot  sharp  thorns  upon  his  head,  sh,stainr^dnin 

and  nailed  him  to  a  tree :  yet  all  this  was  not  so  bitter,  as  exceeded  the 

«/  '  other  pains. 

this  horror  of  death,  and  this  agony  that  he  suffered  in  the 
garden,  in  such  a  degree  as  is  due  to  all  the  sins  of  the 
world,  and  not  to  one  man's  sins.  Well ;  this  passion  is  our 
remedy ;  it  is  the  satisfaction  for  our  sins. 

His  soul  descended  to  hell  for  a  time.     Here  is  much 
ado !     These  new  upstarting  spirits  say,   "  Christ  never  de- 
scended into  hell,  neither  body  nor  soul."     In  scorn  they  Againstsllch 
will  ask,  "Was  he  there?    What  did  he  there2  ?"     What  if S^K?"* 
we  cannot  tell  what  he  did  there  ?     The   creed  goeth  no  hen. e 
further,  but  saith,  he  descended  thither.     What  is  that  to  us, 
if  we  cannot  tell,  seeing  we  were  taught  no  further  ?    Paul 
was  taken  up  into  the  third  heaven ;   ask  likewise  what  he 
saw  when  he  was  carried  thither?    You  shall  not  find  in 
scripture,  what  he  saw  or  what  he  did  there :  shall  we  not, 
therefore,  believe  that  he  was  there  ?    These  arrogant  spirits,  Arr0gant 
spirits  of  vain-glory,  because  they  know  not  by  any  express  vainglory. 
scripture  the  order  of  his  doings  in  hell,  they  will  not  believe 
that  ever  he  descended  into  hell.     Indeed  this  article  hath 

I1  he,  in  most  of  the  old  editions.] 

[2  Thus  Alexander  Humes,  in  his  controversy  with  Dr  Adam  Hyll, 
respecting  this  article  of  the  Creed;  "I  pray  you  (good  M.  Hill) 
seeing  you  would  have  us  undoubtedly  believe  that  Christ  descended 
into  hell;  tell  us  undoubtedly  to  what  end  he  should  descend  thither  ?" 
Hyll,  Defence  of  the  Article,  &c.  p.  62.  Lond.  1592.] 


Bear  with 
father  Lati- 
mer in  this 
place. 


23 4<  SEVENTH    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

not  so  full  scripture,  so  many  places  and  testimonies  of 
scriptures,  as  others  have ;  yet  it  hath  enough :  it  hath  two 
or  three  texts ;  and  if  it  had  but  one,  one  text  of  scripture 
is  of  as  good  and  lawful  authority  as  a  thousand,  and  of  as 
certain  truth.  It  is  not  to  be  f  weighed  by  the  multitude  of 
texts.  I  believe  as  certainly  and  verily  that  this  realm  of 
England  hath  as  good  authority  to  hear  God's  word,  as  any 
nation  in  all  the  world :  it  may  be  gathered  by  two  texts : 
one  of  them  is  this;  Ite  in  universum  mundum,  et  prcedicate 
evangelium  omni  creaturce,  "  Go  into  the  whole  world,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  all  creatures."  Again,  Deus  vult  omnes 
homines  salvos  fieri,  "  God  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved." 
He  excepts  not  the  Englishmen  here,  nor  yet  expressly 
nameth  them ;  and  yet  I  am  as  sure  that  this  realm  of 
England,  by  this  gathering,  is  allowed  to  hear  God's  word, 
as  though  Christ  had  said  a  thousand  times,  "  Go  preach  to 
Englishmen :  I  will  that  Englishmen  be  saved."  Because 
this  article  of  Ms  descending  into  hell  cannot  be  gathered  so 
directly,  so  necessarily,  so  formally,  they  utterly  deny  it. 

This  article  hath  scriptures  two  or  three ;  enough  for 
quiet  minds :  as  for  curious  brains,  nothing  can  content  them. 
This  the  devil's  stirring  up  of  such  spirits  of  sedition  is  an 
evident  argument  that  the  light  is  come  forth ;  for  his  word 
is  abroad  when  the  devil  rushcth,  when  he  roareth,  when  he 
stirreth  up  such  busy  spirits  to  slander  it.  My  intent  is  not 
to  entreat  of  this  matter  at  this  time.  I  trust  the  people 
will  not  be  carried  away  with  these  new  arrogant  spirits. 
I  doubt  not,  but  good  preachers  will  labour  against  them. 

But  now  I  will  say  a  word,  and  herein  I  protest  first  of 
all,  not  arrogantly  to  determine  and  define  it :  I  will  contend 
with  no  man  for  it ;  I  will  not  have  it  to  be  prejudice  to  any 
body,  but  I  offer  it  unto  you  to  consider  and  weigh  it. 
There  be  some  great  clerks1  that  take  my  part,  and  I 
perceive  not  what  evil  can  come  of  it,  in  saying,  that  our 
Saviour  Christ  did  not  only  in  soul  descend  into  hell,  but 
also  that  he  suffered  in  hell  such  pains  as  the  damned  spirits 
did  suffer  there.     Surely,  I  believe  verily,  for  my  part,  that 

[!  The  opinion  here  mentioned  was  maintained  by  Cardinal  Nicho- 
las de  Cusa  and  other  Romanists ;  as  also,  by  some  of  the  continental 
reformers.] 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  235 

he  suffered  the  pains  of  hell  proportionably,  as  it  corresponds 

and  answers  to  the  whole  sin  of  the  world.     lie  would  not 

suffer  only  bodily  in  the  garden  and  upon  the  cross,  but  also 

in  his  soul  when  it  was  from  the  body ;    which  was  a  pain 

due  for  our  sin.     Some  write  so,  and  I  can  believe  it,  that  he 

suffered  in  the  very  place,  and  I  cannot  tell  what  it  is,  call 

it  what  ye  will,  even  in  the  scalding-house,  in  the  ugsome- 

ness  of  the  place,  in  the  presence  of  the  place,  such  pain  as 

our  capacity  cannot  attain  unto :    it  is  somewhat   declared 

unto  us,  when  we  utter  it  by  these  effects,   "  by  fire,   by  Fire,  miash- 

gnashing  of  teeth,  by  the  worm  that  gnaweth  on  the  con- the  worm  o'f 

.  *  .  .  conscience, 

science."     Whatsoever  the  pain  is,  it  is  a  great  pain  that  he  are  terms ' 

x  ox  uttering  to 

suffered  for  us.  us  the  pains 


of  hell. 


I  see  no  inconvenience  to  say,  that  Christ  suffered  hi  soul 
in  hell.  I  singularly  commend  the  exceeding  great  charity 
of  Christ,  that  for  our  sakes  would  suffer  in  hell  in  his  soul. 
It  sets  out  the  unspeakable  hatred  that  God  hath  to  sin. 
I  perceive  not  that  it  doth  derogate  any  thing  from  the 
dignity  of  Christ's  death;  as  in  the  garden,  when  he  suffered, 
it  derogates  nothing  from  that  he  suffered  on  the  cross. 
Scripture  speaketh  on  this  fashion :  Qui  credit  in  me  habet 
vitam  ozternam;  "He  that  believeth  in  me,  hath  life  ever- The  peculiar 
lasting."  Here  he  sets  forth  faith  as  the  cause  of  our  justi-  manned 
fication ;  in  other  places,  as  high  commendation  is  given  to  [j^jj'P^ 
works:  and  yet,  are  the  works  any  derogation  from  that 
dignity  of  faith  ?  No.  And  again,  scripture  saith,  Traditus 
est  propter  peccata  nostra,  et  exsuscitatus  propter  justiji- 
cationem,  &c.  It  attributeth  here  our  justification  to  his  Christ 
resurrection;  and  doth  this  derogate  any  thing  from  his  salvation m 
death?  Not  a  whit.  It  is  whole  Christ.  What  with  his 
nativity ;  what  with  his  circumcision ;  what  with  Ins  incarna- 
tion and  the  whole  process  of  his  life ;  with  his  preaching ; 
what  with  his  ascending,  descending ;  what  with  Ms  death ; 
it  is  all  Christ  that  worketh  our  salvation.  He  sitteth  on 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  and  all  for  us.  All  this  is  the 
work  of  our  salvation.  I  would  be  as  loth  to  derogate  any 
thing  from  Christ's  death,  as  the  best  of  you  all.  How 
inestimably  are  we  bound  to  him !  What  thanks  ought  we  to 
give  him  for  it!  We  must  have  this  continually  in  remem- 
brance :  Propter  te  morti  tradimur  tota  die,  "  For  thee  we 
are    in   dying   continually."      The   life    of   a  christian   man 


236 


SEVENTH  SERMON*  PREACHED  BEFORE 


Christ  was 
beneficial  to 


is  nothing  but  a  readiness  to  die,  and  a  remembrance  of 
death. 

If  this  that  I  have  spoken  of  Christ's  suffering  in  the 
garden,  and  in  hell,  derogate  any  thing  from  Christ's  death 
and  passion,  away  with  it;  believe  me  not  in  this.      If  it  do 
not,  it  commends  and  sets  forth  very  well  unto  us  the  per- 
fection of  the  satisfaction  that  Christ  made  for  us,  and  the 
work  of  redemption,  not  only  before  witness  in  this  world,  but 
in  hell,  in  that  ugsome  place ;  where  whether  he  suffered  or 
wrestled  with  the  spirits,  or  comforted  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  I  will  not  desire  to  know.    If  ye  like  not  that  which  I 
have  spoken  of  his  suffering,  let  it  go,  I  will  not  strive  in  it : 
I  will  be  prejudice  to  no  body ;  weigh  it  as  ye  list.     I  do  but 
offer  it  you  to  consider.     It  is  like,  his  soul  did  somewhat  the 
three  days  that  his  body  lay  in  the  grave.     To  say,  he  suf- 
fered in  hell  for  us,  derogates  nothing  from  his  death :    for 
all  things  that  Christ  did  before  his  suffering  on  the  cross, 
and  after,  do  work  our  salvation.     If  he  had  not  been  incar- 
nate, he  had  not  died :  he  was  beneficial  to  us  with  all  things 
doings." his    ll0  ^d-     Christian  people  should  have  his  suffering  for  them 
in  remembrance.    Let  your  gardens  monish  you,  your  pleasant 
gardens,   what   Christ  suffered  for  you  in  the  garden,    and 
what  commodity  you  have  by  his  suffering.     It  is  his  will  ye 
should  so  do ;  he  would  be  had  in  remembrance.     Mix  your 
pleasures  with  the  remembrance  of  his  bitter  passion.     The 
whole  passion  is  satisfaction  for  our  sins;  and  not  the  bare 
death,  considering  it  so  nakedly  by  itself.     The  manner  of 
speaking  of  scripture  is  to  be  considered.      It  attributeth  our 
salvation  now  to  one  thing,  now  to  another  that  Christ  did ; 
where  indeed  it  pertained  to  all.      Our  Saviour  Christ  hath 
Jommunfon   leit  bemnd  him  a  remembrance  of  his  passion,   the  blessed 
lane™"    communion,    the  celebration  of  the    Lord's  Supper:    alack! 
it  hath  been  long  abused,  as  the  sacrifices  were  before  in  the 
old  law.      The  patriarchs  used  sacrifice  in  the  faith  of  the 
Seed  of  the  woman,  which  should  break  the  serpent's  head. 
The  patriarchs  sacrificed  on  hope,  and  afterward  the  work 
was  esteemed.      There  come  other  after,  and  they  consider 
not  the  faith  of  Abraham  and  the  patriarchs,  but  do  their 
sacrifice  according  to  their  own  imagination :  even  so  came 
the' \'rirn¥tive  **  to  Pass   w^  our   blesscd  communion.      In  the  primitive 
the  church,  in  places  when  their  friends  were  dead,  they  used  to 


Christ': 
passion 


church  in  t 


XIII.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  237 

come  together  to  the  holy  communion1.      What!  to  remedy  receiving  of 

i  1  i       i  n      *Tk-r  •  '    theoommu- 

them  that  were  dead  r     No,  no,  a  straw;   it  was  instituted  »'<'»  at  the 

'  '  '  burial  ot  the 

for  no  such  purpose.      But  then  they  would  call  to  remem- deatl- 
brance  God's  goodness,  and  his  passion  that  he  suffered  for 
us,   wherein  they  comforted  much  their  faith. 

Others   came  afterward,    and  set  up  all   these  kinds  of  Massing  was 

...  .     .  „T1  .         .         the  foulest 

massing,  all  these  kinds  of  iniquity.      What  an  abomination  abomination 

~  ■  x       «  that  ever  was. 

is  it,  the  foulest  that  ever  was,  to  attribute  to  man's  work 
our  salvation !  God  be  thanked  that  we  have  this  blessed 
communion  set  forth  so  now,  that  we  may  comfort,  increase, 
and  fortify  our  faith  at  that  blessed  celebration !  If  he  be 
guilty  of  the  body  of  Christ,  that  takes  it  unworthily  ;  he 
fetcheth  great  comfort  at  it,  that  eats  it  worthily.  He  doth 
eat  it  worthily,  that  doth  eat  it  in  faith.  In  faith  ?  in  what 
faith?  Not  long  ago  a  great  man  said  in  an  audience,  "They  a  great  man 
babble  much  of  faith ;  I  will  go  lie  with  my  whore  all  night,  knew  other 
and  have  as  good  a  faith  as  the  best  of  them  all."      I  think  whore- 

~  monger  s 

he  never  knew  other  but  the  whoremonger's  faith.      It  is  no  faith- 

such   faith   that    will  serve.       It   is   no   bribing   judge's   or 

justice's  faith;  no  rent-raiser's  faith;  no  whoremonger's  faith; 

no  lease-monger's   faith ;    nor  no   seller  of  benefices'   faith ; 

but  the  faith  in  the  passion  of  our  Saviour  Christ.     We  must  what  faith 

will  serve. 

believe  that  our  Saviour  Christ  hath  taken  us  again  to  his 
favour,  that  he  hath  delivered  us  his  own  body  and  blood,  to 
plead  with  the  devil,  and  by  merit  of  his  own  passion,  of  his 
own  mere  liberality.  This  is  the  faith,  I  tell  you,  that  we 
must  come  to  the  communion  with,  and  not  the  whore- 
monger's faith.  Look  where  remission  of  sin  is,  there  is 
acknowledging  of  sin  also.  Faith  is  a  noble  duchess,  she  Faith  is  a 
hath  ever  her  gentleman-usher  going  before  her, — the  con-  womafthat 
fessing  of  sins :    she  hath  a  train  after  her, — the  fruits  of  gentieman- 

°  t  ,  usher  going 

good  works,  the  walking  in  the  commandments  of  God.      He  Def:or,e  ner . 

o  o  and  her  train 

that  believeth  will  not  be  idle,  he  will  walk  ;  he  will  do  his  after  her- 
business.      Have  ever  the  gentleman-usher  with  you.      So  if 

[i  Bingham,  Antiquit.  Book  xxm.  ch.  3.  12.  In  the  first  Prayer 
Book  of  Edward  VI.,  the  third  part  of  the  Burial  Service  consisted  of 
"  The  celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion  when  there  is  a  burial  of 
the  dead."  This,  though  omitted  at  the  revision  of  the  Prayer  Book 
in  1552,  was  yet  incorporated  into  the  Latin  Prayer  published,  chiefly 
for  the  use  of  the  Universities  and  public  Schools,  in  the  second  year 
of  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth.] 


238  SEVENTH    SERMON,    &C.  [sERM.    XIII.] 

ye  will  try  faith,  remember  this  rule, — consider  whether  the 

train  be  waiting  upon  her.     If  you  have  another  faith  than 

The  true  trial  this,  a  whoremonger's  faith,  you  are  like  to  go  to  the  scald- 

of  faith.  .  &  i      11   i  vi 

mg-house,  and  there  you  shall  have  two  dishes,  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth.  Much  good  do  it  you !  you  see  your  fare. 
If  ye  will  believe  and  acknowledge  your  sins,  you  shall  come 
to  the  blessed  communion  of  the  bitter  passion  of  Christ 
worthily,  and  so  attain  to  everlasting  life :  to  the  which  the 
Father  of  heaven  bring  you  and  me !     Amen. 


A    MOST    FAITHFUL    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE    THE 
KING'S  MOST  EXCELLENT  MAJESTY  AND  HIS  MOST 
HONOURABLE    COUNCIL,    IN    HIS    COURT    AT 
WESTMINSTER,  BY  THE  REVEREND  FA- 
THER MASTER  HUGH   LATIMER, 
[IN   LENT]   ANNO  DOMINI, 
1550. 


[LUKE  XII.  15.] 


Videte  et  cavete  ab  avaritia. 
Take  heed  and  beware  of  covetousness. 

"  Take  heed  and  beware  of  covetousness." — "  Take  heed 
and  beware  of  covetousness." — "  Take  heed  and  beware  of 
covetousness."  And  what  and  if  I  should  say  nothing  else 
these  three  or  four  hours  (for  I  know  it  will  be  so  long,  in 
case  I  be  not  commanded  to  the  contrary)  but  these  words, 
"  Take  heed  and  beware  of  covetousness  ?"  It  would  be 
thought  a  strange  sermon  before  a  king,  to  say  nothing  else  a  strange 
but  Cavete  ab  avaritia,  "Beware  of  covetousness."  And  yet sen 
as  strange  as  it  is,  it  would  be  like  the  sermon  of  Jonas,  that 
he  preached  to  the  Ninivites ;  as  touching  the  shortness,  and 
as  touching  the  paucity  or  fewness  of  the  words.  For  his  joms- 
sermon  was,  Adhuc  quadraginta  dies,  et  Ninive  subvertetur ;  andpShy. 
"  There  is  yet  forty  days  to  come,  and  Ninive  shall  be 
destroyed."  Thus  he  walked  from  street  to  street,  and  from 
place  to  place  round  about  the  city,  and  said  nothing  else 
but,  "  There  is  yet  forty  days,"  quoth  he,  "  and  Ninive  shall 
be  destroyed."  There  is  no  great  odds  nor  difference,  at 
the  least-wise  in  the  number  of  words,  no  nor  yet  in  the 
sense  or  meaning,  between  these  two  sermons,  "  There  is 
yet  forty  days,  and  Ninive  shall  be  destroyed ;"  and  these 
words  that  I  have  taken  to  speak  of  this  day :  "  Take  heed, 
and  beware  of  covetousness."  For  Ninive  should  be  destroy- 
ed for  sin,  and  of  their  sins  covetousness  was  one,  and  one 
of  the  greatest ;  so  that  it  is  all  one  in  effect.  And  as  they 
be  like  concerning  the  shortness,  the  paucity  of  words,  the 


240 


LAST    SERMON     PREACHED     BEFORE 


[SERM. 


The  fruit  of 

Jonas' 

sermon. 


Jonas' 
sermon  was 
nipping. 


Ninive  con- 
verted at 
Jonas' 
preaching : 
England 
slandereth 
their  good 
preachers. 


brevity  of  words,  and  also  the  meaning  and  purpose ;  so  I 
would  they  might  be  like  in  fruit  and  profit.  For  what 
came  of  Jonas's  sermon  ?  What  was  the  fruit  of  it  ?  Ad 
prcedicationem  Jonce  crediderunt  Deo;  "  At  the  preaching  of 
Jonas  they  believed  God."  Here  was  a  great  fruit,  a  great 
effect  wrought.  What  is  the  same  ?  "  They  believed  God." 
They  believed  God's  preacher,  God's  officer,  God's  minister, 
Jonas ;  and  were  converted  from  their  sin.  They  believed 
that,  as  the  preacher  said,  if  they  did  not  repent  and 
amend  their  life,  the  city  should  be  destroyed  within  forty 
days.  This  was  a  great  fruit :  for  Jonas  was  but  one  man, 
and  he  preached  but  one  sermon,  and  it  was  but  a  short 
sermon  neither,  as  touching  the  number  of  words ;  and  yet 
he  turned  all  the  whole  city  great  and  small,  rich  and  poor, 
king  and  all. 

We  be  many  preachers  here  in  England,  and  we  preach 
many  long  sermons,  yet  the  people  will  not  repent  nor  con- 
vert. This  was  the  fruit,  the  effect,  and  the  good  that  his 
sermon,  did,  that  all  the  whole  city  at  his  preaching  con- 
verted, and  amended  their  evil  living ;  and  did  penance  in 
sack-cloth.  And  yet  here  in  this  sermon  of  Jonas  is  no 
great  curiousness,  no  great  clerkliness,  no  great  affectation 
of  words,  nor  of  painted  eloquence ;  it  was  none  other  but, 
Adhuc  quadraginta  dies,  et  Ninive  subvertetur,  "  Yet  forty 
days,  et  Ninive  subvertetur,  and  Ninive  shall  be  destroyed :" 
it  was  no  more.  This  was  no  great  curious  sermon,  but  this 
was  a  nipping  sermon,  a  pinching  sermon,  a  biting  sermon ; 
it  had  a  full  bite,  it  was  a  nipping  sermon,  a  rough  sermon, 
and  a  sharp  biting  sermon.  Do  you  not  here  marvel  that 
these  Ninivites  cast  not  Jonas  in  prison ;  that  they  did  not 
revile  him,  and  rebuke  him?  They  did  not  revile  him,  nor 
rebuke  him ;  but  God  gave  them  grace  to  hear  him,  and  to 
convert  and  amend  at  this  preaching.  A  strange  matter, 
so  noble  a  city  to  give  place  to  one  man's  sermon!  Now 
England  cannot  abide  this  gear ;  they  cannot  be  content  to 
hear  God's  minister,  and  his  threatening  for  their  sin,  though 
the  sermon  be  never  so  good,  though  it  be  never  so  true. 
It  is,  a  naughty  fellow,  a  seditious  fellow ;  he  maketh  trouble 
and  rebellion  in  the  realm ;  he  lacketh  discretion.  But  the 
Ninivites  rebuked  not  Jonas  that  he  lacked  discretion,  or 
that  he  spake  out  of  time,  that  his  sermon  was  out  of  season 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  241 

made:  but  in  England,  if  God's  preacher,  God's  minister, 
be  any  tiling  quick,  or  do  speak  sharply,  then  he  is  a  foolish 
fellow,  he  is  rash,  he  lacketh  discretion.  Now-a-days  if  they 
cannot  reprove  the  doctrine  that  is  preached,  then  they  will 
reprove  the  preacher,  that  he  lacketh  due  consideration  of 
the  times ;  and  that  he  is  of  learning  sufficient,  but  he 
wanteth  discretion.  "  What  a  time  is  this,  picked  out  to 
preach  such  things !  He  should  have  a  respect  and  a  regard 
to  the  time,  and  to  the  state  of  things,  and  of  the  common- 
weal." It  rejoiceth  me  sometimes,  when  my  friend  cometh  a  sign  of 
and  telleth  me  that  they  find  fault  with  my  discretion;  for  ' 
by  likelihood,  think  I,  the  doctrine  is  true :  for  if  they  could 
find  fault  with  the  doctrine,  they  would  not  charge  me  with 
the  lack  of  discretion ;  but  they  would  charge  me  with  my 
doctrine,  and  not  with  the  lack  of  discretion,  or  with  the 
inconveniency  of  the  time.  I  will  now  ask  you  a  question : 
I  pray  you,  when  should  Jonas  have  preached  against  the 
covetousness  of  Ninive,  if  the  covetous  men  should  have 
appointed  him  his  time?  I  know  that  preachers  ought  to 
have  a  discretion  in  their  preaching,  and  that  they  ought  to 
have  a  consideration  and  respect  to  the  place  and  the  time  Preachers 
that  he  preacheth  in ;  as  I  myself  will  say  here  that  I  would  time  and"  ei 
not  say  in  the  country  for  no  good.  But  what  then  ?  Sin 
must  be  rebuked ;  sin  must  be  plainly  spoken  against.  And 
when  should  Jonas  have  preached  against  Ninive,  if  he  should 
have  forborne  for  the  respects  of  the  times,  or  the  place,  or 
the  state  of  things  there  ?  For  what  was  Ninive  ?  A  noble, 
a  rich,  and  a  wealthy  city.  What  is  London  to  Ninive  ?  London  but 
Like  a  village,  as  Islington,  or  such  another,  in  comparison  comparison 
of  London.  Such  a  city  was  Ninive,  it  was  three  days' 
journey  to  go  through  every  street  of  it,  and  to  go  but 
from  street  to  street.  There  were  noblemen,  rich  men, 
wealthy  men ;  there  were  vicious  men,  and  covetous  men, 
and  men  that  gave  themselves  to  all  voluptuous  living,  and 
to  worldliness  of  getting  riches.  Was  this  a  time  well  chosen 
and  discreetly  taken  of  Jonas,  to  come  and  reprove  them  of 
their  sin;  to  declare  unto  them  the  threatenings  of  God;  and 
to  tell  them  of  their  covetousness;  and  to  say  plainly  unto 
them,  that  except  they  repented  and  amended  their  evil 
-living,  they  and  their  city  should  be  destroyed  of  God's 
hand  within  forty  days?  And  yet  they  heard  Jonas  and 
r  i  16 

[LATIMER.] 


242  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

gave  place  to  his  preaching.  They  heard  the  threatenings 
Niniveat  the  of  God,  and  feared  his  stroke  and  vengeance,  and  believed 
!i'nn!;Xued  God:    that  is,  thev  believed  God's  preacher  and  minister; 

Gods  rod.  ** 

they  believed  that  God  would  be  true  of  his  word  that  he 
spake  by  the  mouth  of  his  prophet,  and  thereupon  did 
penance,  to  turn  away  the  wrath  of  God  from  them.  Well, 
what  shall  we  say  ?  I  will  say  this,  and  not  spare :  Christ 
saith,  Ninive  shall  arise  against  the  Jews  at  the  last  day, 
and  bear  witness  against  them ;  because  that  they,  hearing 
God's  threatening  for  sin,  ad  praidicationern  Jonce  in  cinere 
et  sacco  egerunt  poenitentiam,  "  They  did  penance  at  the 
preaching  of  Jonas  in  ashes  and  sackcloth,"  (as  the  text  saith 
Ninive  shaii  there :)  and  I  say,  Ninive  shall  arise  against  England,  thou 
England.  England ;  Ninive  shall  arise  against  England,  because  it  will 
not  believe  God,  nor  hear  his  preachers  that  cry  daily  unto 
them,  nor  amend  their  lives,  and  especially  their  covetousness. 
Covetousness  is  as  great  a  sin  now  as  it  was  then ;  and  it 
is  the  same  sin  now  it  was  then :  and  he  will  as  sure  strike 
for  sin  now,  as  he  did  then. 
Godgiveth  But  ah,  good   God,   that  would   give  them  a  time   of 

!'''iit.uK'ee"  repentance  after  his  threatenings !  First,  to  see  whether 
destroyeth.  \\iey  would  amend  or  not,  or  he  would  destroy  them.  For 
even  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  they  fell  to  sin.  The 
first  age  from  Adam,  which  was  about  two  thousand  years, 
they  fell  ever  to  sin,  and  they  had  preachers,  Noe  and 
Enoch,  and  other  holy  fathers.  And  in  that  time  a  great 
multiplication  was  that  grew  in  two  thousand  years;  for 
that  scripture  saith,  "The  sons  of  God  saw  the  daughters 
of  men  that  they  were  fair,  and  they  took  them  wives  from 
among  all  that  they  had  chosen."  This  is  a  long  matter  to 
speak  of  all.  But  what  meaneth  this,  "  the  sons  of  God  saw 
of  menfwhat  the  daughters  of  men  ?"  Who  were  these  sons  of  God  ?  The 
sons  of  God  were  those  that  came  of  the  good  men,  of  the 
good  preachers,  of  the  holy  fathers,  that  were  God's  men; 
as  they  that  came  of  Seth  and  Enos,  that  were  good  men, 
and  of  others.  For  our  grandmother  Eve,  when  Cain  had 
killed  Abel,  and  when  she  had  another  son  by  Adam,  who 
was  called  Seth,  what  did  she?  She  gave  thanks  to  God 
for  him,  and  acknowledged  that  God  it  was  which  had  given 
him  unto  her  ;  for  she  said,  Dedit  mihi  Deus  semen  pro  Abel 
quern  occidit  Cain:  "God,"  said  she,  "hath  given  me  another 


Sons  of  God 
and  daughters 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  243 

seed  instead  of  Abel  whom  Cain  slew."  Here  is  a  long 
matter  to  talk  on.  Some  will  say,  Was  this  a  natural 
mother,  was  this  naturally  done,  to  publish  the  sin  of  her 
own  son  ?  What  needed  she  to  speak  of  that  matter,  or  to 
make  any  rehearsal  of  that  matter,  to  open  the  sin  of  her 
son  ?  What  needed  she  this  to  do  ?  Yes,  she  was  now  a 
good  woman :  when  she  believed  the  serpent,  she  was  not  Eve  was  a 
good.  But  now  she  had  repented  that  deed,  and  had  taken  *°' 
hold  of  the  promise  of  God,  that  there  should  come  of  her 
a  seed  that  should  tread  down  and  destroy  the  head  of  the 
serpent.  She  had  taken  hold  of  this  promise,  and  was  now 
a  good  woman,  and  a  godly  woman ;  she  opened  the  fault 
of  her  son,  and  hid  it  not.  Here  could  I  say  somewhat  to 
them,  if  I  would,  that  spake  so  much  against  me  for  my 
preaching  here  the  last  year.  But  to  return  to  Eve,  and 
declare  that  the  sons  of  God  are  to  be  understood  those  who  be  the 
that  came  of  good  men,  as  of  Seth  and  Enos,  and  the  same sons  °  God' 
good  part  of  generation.  And  the  daughters  of  men  are 
to  be  understood  of  them  that  came  of  Cain  and  of  his  seed : 
and  therefore  our  grandmother  Eve  bade  beware  of  marrying 
with  Cain's  seed,  for  fear  of  falling  from  God  to  wickedness 
thereby. 

And  here  I  would  say  a  thing  to  your  Majesty  :  I  shall 
speak  it  of  good  will  to  your  highness :  I  would  I  were  able 
to  do  your  Grace  good  service  in  any  thing,  ye  should  be 
sure  to  have  it.  But  I  will  say  this :  for  God's  love  beware 
where  you  marry ;  choose  your  wife  in  a  faithful  stock. 
Beware  of  this  worldly  policy ;  marry  in  God :  marry  not 
for  the  great  respect  of  alliance,  for  thereof  cometh  all  these 
evils  of  breaking  of  wedlock,  which  is  among  princes  and 
noblemen.  And  here  I  would  be  a  suitor  unto  your  majesty; 
for  I  come  now  rather  to  be  a  suitor  and  a  petitioner,  than 
a  preacher ;  for  I  come  now  to  take  my  leave,  and  to  take 
my  ultimum  vale,  at  leastwise  in  this  place ;  for  I  have  not  m.  Latimers 
long  to  live,  so  that  I  think  I  shall  never  come  here  into  this  vaieT'1 
place  again ;  and  therefore  I  will  ask  a  petition  of  your 
highness.  For  the  love  of  God,  take  an  order  for  marriages 
here  in  England.  For  here  is  marriage  for  pleasure  and 
voluptuousness,  and  for  goods;  and  so  that  they  may  join 
land  to  land,  and  possessions  to  possessions :  they  care  for  no 
more  here  in  England.      And  that  is  the  cause  of  so  much 

16—2 


244 


LAST  SERMON  PREACHED  BEFORE 


Use  God's 
remedy 
against 
adultery. 
A  law  that 
adultery 
might  be 
punished 
with  death. 


Lechery  a 
great  sin. 


adultery,  and  so  much  breach  of  wedlock  in  the  noblemen 
and  gentlemen,  and  so  much  divorcing.  And  it  is  not  now 
in  the  noblemen  only,  but  it  is  come  now  to  the  inferior  sort1. 
Every  man,  if  he  have  but  a  small  cause,  will  cast  off  his 
old  wife,  and  take  a  new,  and  will  marry  again  at  his 
pleasure ;  and  there  be  many  that  have  so  done.  I  would 
therefore  wish  that  there  were  a  law  provided  in  this  behalf 
for  adulterers,  and  that  adultery  should  be  punished  with 
death ;  and  that  might  be  a  remedy  for  all  this  matter. 
There  would  not  be  then  so  much  adultery,  whoredom,  and 
lechery  in  England  as  there  is.  For  the  love  of  God  take 
heed  to  it,  and  see  a  remedy  provided  for  it.  I  would  wish 
that  adultery  should  be  punished  with  death;  and  that  the 
woman  being  an  offender,  if  her  husband  would  be  a  suitor 
for  her,  she  should  be  pardoned  for  the  first  time,  but  not  for 
the  second  time :  and  the  man,  being  an  offender,  should  be 
pardoned  if  his  wife  be  a  suitor  for  him  the  first  time,  but 
not  for  the  second  time,  if  he  offend  twice.  If  this  law  were 
made,  there  would  not  be  so  much  adultery  nor  lechery  used 
in  the  realm  as  there  is.  Well,  I  trust  once  yet,  as  old  as  I 
am,  to  see  the  day  that  lechery  shall  be  punished :  it  was 
never  more  need,  for  there  was  never  more  lechery  used  in 
England  than2  is  at  this  day,  and  maintained.  It  is  made 
but  a  laughing  matter,  and  a  trifle ;  but3  it  is  a  sad  matter, 
and  an  earnest  matter ;  for  lechery  is  a  great  sin :  Sodome 
and  Gomorre  was  destroyed  for  it.  And  it  was  one  of  the 
sins  reigning  in  Ninive,  for  which  it  should  have  been  de- 
stroyed.     But  think  you  that  lechery  was  alone?    No,  no. 


[i  Sir  Thomas  More  long  before  this,  in  the  year  1528,  observed 
with  respect  to  the  state  of  things  in  Henry  VILI.'s  reign:  "We  se 
. . .  not  onely  the  rich  but  the  pore  also,  kepe  open  quenes,  and  live 
in  open  advoutry,  without  paiment  or  penaunce  or  anythyng  almost 
ones  sayd  unto  them."  Works,  p.  249.  E. 

Dr  Legh  also,  writing  to  Lord  Cromwell  to  state  that  he  had 
visited  the  "  archdeaconry  of  Coventry,  Stafford,  Derby  and  part  of 
Cheshire,"  observes,  "certen  of  the  knyghtes  and  gentilmen,  and  most 
commonly  all,  lyvythe  so  incontinently,  havyng  ther  concubynes  openly 
in  ther  howses,  with  v  or  vj  of  their  children,  putting  from  them  their 
wyfes,  that  all  the  contrey  therwith  be  not  a  little  offendyd,  and 
takithe  evyll  example  of  theym."  Letters  relating  to  Suppress,  of 
Monast.  p.  243.  See  also  Homily  against  Adultery,  Part  2,  sub  fin.] 
[2  as  there  is,  1562.]  [3  and  it  is,  1562,  1571.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  245 

covetousness  was  joined  with  it4.  Covetousness  followeth 
lechery,  and  commonly  they  go  together.  For  why  ?  They 
that  be  given  to  voluptuousness,  and  to  the  vice  of  lechery,  one  sin 

, .  ,  .  ,  ...  -.       ,  ,       waiteth  upon 

must  have  wherewith  to  maintam  it ;  and  that  must  be  another. 
gotten  by  covetousness.  For  at  the  first  when  men  fell  to 
siii,  and  chiefly  to  lechery,  wherefore  the  world  should  be 
destroyed, .  the  book  saith,  "  There  were  giants  in  the  earth 
in  those  days:  and  after  that  the  sons  of  God  had  come  to  what  giants 
the  daughters  of  men,  and  there  had  engendered  with  them, 
the  same  became  mighty  men  of  the  world,  and  men  of 
renown,"  &c.  This  is  covetousness ;  for  the  book  saith, 
Terra  erat  repleta  iniquitate,  "  The  earth  was  replete  with 
iniquity ;"  for  they  oppressed  the  poor.  They  made  them 
slaves,  peasants,  villains,  and  bond-men  unto  them.  These 
were  giants,  so  called  of  the  property  of  giants,  for  they 
oppress  the  weak,  and  take  from  them  what  they  list  by 
force,  violence,  and  oppression.  They  were  giants  of  the 
property  of  giants,  not  that  they  were  greater  men  of  stature 
and  strength  of  body  than  other  men  were.  For  certain 
writers  speaking  of  this  matter  say,  that  they  were  giants 
for  then'  cruelty  and  covetous  oppression,  and  not  in  stature 
or  procerity  of  body.  For  there  is  no  reason  why  Seth's 
children  could  beget  on  Cain's  daughters  greater  men  than 
others  were  in  stature  of  body.  But  they  were  giants  in 
the  property  of  giants,  for  oppressing  of  others  by  force  and 
violence.  And  this  was  covetousness,  wherewith  God  was  covetousness 
so  displeased,  that  he  repented  that  he  had  made  men,  and  to  repent. 
resolved  utterly  to  destroy  the  world ;  and  so  called  to  Noe, 
and  told  him  of  it.  "  And  I  will  not  dispute  the  matter  with  This  speech 
them,"  saith  God,  "from  day  to  day,  and  never  the  near;  but  manner  of 

men. 

if  they  will  not  amend  within  an  hundred  and  twenty  years, 
I  shall  bring  in  an  universal  flood  over  their  ears,  and  de- 
stroy them  all."  This  was  preached  by  Noe  to  them ;  and 
so  that  God  of  his  goodness,  patience,  and  long-sufferance, 
gave  them  a  time  to  repent  and  amend  after  his  threatenings, 
because  they  should  see  their  evil  doings,  and  return  to  God. 
So  they  had  an  hundred  and  twenty  years  to  repent.  This 
Noe  was  laughed  to  scorn;  they,  like  dodipoles5,  laughed  Noe was 
this  godly  father  to  scorn.  scofn.6 

[4  Covetousness  was  joined  with  it,  from  1562.] 

[5  In  our  old  drama  we  meet  with  "Doctor  Dodepole"  as  the 


246  LAST  SERMON  PREACHED  BEFORE  [sERM. 

Well,  ye  think  little  of  the  history  :  if  ye  will  know  the 
meaning  of  it,  it  is  a  great  shew  what  anger  God  hath  to  sin. 
But  how  long  time  hast  thou,  England,  thou  England?  I 
cannot  tell,  for  God  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  me ;  if  he  had, 
so  God  help  me,  I  would  tell  you  of  it ;  I  would  not  be 
afraid,  nor  spare  to  tell  it  you,  for  the  good-will  I  bear  you : 
but  I  cannot  tell  how  long  time  ye  have,  for  God  hath  not 
Gods  lenity  opened  it  unto  me.  But  I  can  tell  you,  that  this  lenity,  this 
vokeusto     long  forbearing   and  holding  of  his  hand,  provoketh  us  to 

repentance.  i 

repent  and  amend.  And  I  can  tell,  that  whosoever  con- 
temneth  this  riches  and  treasure  of  God's  goodness,  of  his 
mercy,  his  patience  and  long-suffering,  shall  have  the  more 
grievous  condemnation.  This  I  can  tell  well  enough ;  Paul 
telleth  me  this :  and  I  can  tell  that  ye  have  time  to  repent 
as  long  as  you  live  here  in  this  world ;  but  after  this  life  I 
can  make  no  warrant  of  any  further  time  to  repent.  There- 
Repentance   fore  repent  and  amend  while  ye  be  here  :  for  when  ye  are 

must  be  in  *  "  J 

this  life.  gone  hence,  ye  are  past  that.  But  how  long  that  shall  be, 
whether  to-morrow  or  the  next  day,  or  twenty  years,  or  how 

England  hath  long,  I  cannot  tell.     But  in  the  mean  time  ye  have  many 

preach  Jonas' Jonases  to  tell  you  of  your  faults,  and  to  declare  unto  you 
God's  threatenings,  except  ye  repent  and  amend. 

Therefore,  to  return  to  my  matter,  I  say  as  I  said  at  the 
beginning,  Videte  et  cavete  ab  avaritia.  Viclete,  "see  it:" 
first  see  it,  and  then  amend  it.  For  I  promise  you,  great 
complaint  there  is  of  it,  and  much  crying  out,  and  much 
preaching,  but  none  amendment  that  I  see.  But  cavete  ab 
avaritia,  "  Beware  of  covetousness."  And  why  of  covetous- 
ness?     Quia  radix  est  omnium  malorum  avaritia  et  cupidi- 

covetousness  tas,   "  For   covetousness   is    the   root  of  all  evil  and  of  all 

is  the  root  of       . 

aii  mischief,  mischief."  This  saying  of  Paul  took  me  away  from  the 
gospel  that  is  read  in  the  church  this  day,  and  it  took  me 
from  the  epistle,  that  I  would  preach  upon  neither  of  them 
both  at  this  time.  I  cannot  tell  what  ailed  me  ;  but  (to  tell 
you  my  imperfection)  when  I  was  appointed  to  preach  here, 
I  was  new  come  out  of  a  sickness,  whereof  I  looked  to  have 
died,  and  weak  I  was :  yet  nevertheless,  when  I  was  ap- 
pointed unto  it,  I  took  it  upon  me,  howbeit  I  repented  after- 
ward that  I  had  so  done.      I  was  displeased  Avith  myself:   I 

representative   of  folly.      Warton,   Hist,    of   English   Poetry,   iv.    p. 
304.  Lond.   1824.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  247 

was  testy,  as  Jonas  was  when  he  should  go  preach  to  the 
Ninivites.  Well,  I  looked  on  the  gospel  that  is  read  this 
day  :  but1  it  liked  me  not.  I  looked  on  the  epistle  :  tush,  I 
could  not  away  with  that  neither.  And  yet  I  remember  I 
had  preached  upon  this  epistle  once  afore  king  Henry  the 
Eighth  ;  but  now  I  could  not  frame  with  it,  nor  it  liked  me 
not  in  no  sauce.  Well,  this  saying  of  Paul  came  into  my 
mind,  and  at  last  I  considered  and  weighed  the  matter  deeply, 
and  then  thought  I  thus  with  myself:  Is  covetousness  the 
root  of  all  mischief  and  of  all  evil  ?  Then  have  at  the  root, 
and  down  with  all  covetousness.  So  this  place  of  Paul  brought 
me  to  this  text  of  Luke,  "  See  and  beware  of  covetousness." 
Therefore,  you  preachers,  out  with  your  swords  and  strike 
at  the  root.  Speak  against  covetousness,  and  cry  out  upon 
it.  Stand  not  ticking  and  toying  at  the  branches  nor  at 
the  boughs,  for  then  there  will  new  boughs  and  branches 
SDrino-  ao*ain  of  them :  but  strike  at  the  root,  and  fear  not  preachers 

±         o       o  -  must  strike 

these  giants  of  England,  these  great  men  and  men  of  power,  atftenx* of 
these  men  that  are  oppressors  of  the  poor ;  fear  them  not, 
but  strike  at  the  root  of  all  evil,  which  is  mischievous  covet- 
ousness.    For  covetousness  is  the  cause  of  rebellion.     I  have    ■ 
forgotten  my  logic,  but  yet  I  can  jumble  at  a  syllogism,  and 
make  an  argument  of  it,  to  prove  it  by2.    Covetousness  is  the 
root  of  all  evil:  rebellion  is  an  evil:  ergo,  covetousness  is  the 
root  of  rebellion.     And  so  it  was  indeed.      Covetousness  was 
the  cause  of  rebellion  this  last  summer3 ;  and  both  parties  had  »«— ^ 
covetousness,  as  well  the  gentlemen  as  the  commons.     Both  covetousness. 
parties  had  covetousness,  for  both  parties  had  an  inordinate 
desire  to  have  that  they  had  not :  and  that  is  covetousness, 
an  inordinate  desire  to  have  that  one  hath  not. 

The  commons  would  have  had  from  the  gentlemen  such 
things  as  they  desired:  the  gentlemen  would  none  of  it; 
and  so  was  there  covetousness  on  both  sides.  The  commons 
thought  they  had  a  right  to  the  things  that  they  inordinately 
sought  to  have.  But  what  then  ?  They  must  not  come  to 
it  that  way.  Now  on  the  other  side,  the  gentlemen  had  a 
desire  to  keep  that  they  had,  and  so  they  rebelled  too  against 
the  king's  commandment,  and  against  such  good  order  as  he 

[i  tut,  1562,  1571.]  [2  to  prove  that,  1584,  1607.] 

[3  The  rebellions  in  Norfolk  and  Devon.    Carte,  Hist,  of  England, 
in.  pp.  233,  &c] 


248  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

and  his  council  would  have  set  in  the  realm.  And  thus  both 
parties  had  covetousness,  and  both  parties  did  rebel.  I  heard 
say  that  there  Avere  godly  ordinances  devised  for  the  redress 
of  it.  But  the  giants  would  none  of  it  in  no  sauce.  I  remem- 
ber mine  ownself  a  certain  giant,  a  great  man,  who  sat  in 
commission  about  such  matters ;  and  when  the  townsmen 
The  frowning  should  bring   hi  what   had  been  inclosed,  he  frowned   and 

of  a  giant.  ° 

chafed,  and  so  near  looked,  and  threatened  the  poor  men,  that 
they  durst  not  ask  their  right. 

I  read  of  late  in  an  Act  of  Parliament1 ;  and  this  act 
made  mention  of  an  Act  that  was  in  king  Henry's  days,  the 
third  I  trow  it  was;  yea,  and  such  another  business  there  was 
in  king  Edward's  time,  the  second2  also.  In  tliis  Parliament 
that  I  speak  of,  the  gentlemen  and  the  commons  were  at 
variance,  as  they  were  now  of  late.  And  there  the  gentle- 
men that  were  landlords  would  needs  have  away  much  lands 
from  their  tenants ;  and  would  needs  have  an  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment, that  it  might  be  lawful  for  them  to  inclose  and  make 
several  from  them  tenants,  and  from  the  commons,  such  por- 
tions of  their  lands  as  they  thought  good.  Much  ado  there 
was  about  this  Act:  at  last  it  was  concluded  and  granted  that 
they  might  so  do  ;  provided  alway,  that  they  should  leave 
sufficient  to  the  tenant3.  Well ;  it  was  well  that  they  were 
commons     bound  to  leave  sufficient  for  them.     But  who  should  be  the 

provided  for 

rariiamem.  Juc^o'e  to  mmt  wnat  was  sufficient  for  them  ?  Or  who  shall 
now  judge  what  is  sufficient  ?  Well  ;  I  for  my  part  cannot 
tell  what  is  sufficient.  But  methought  it  was  well  that  the 
tenants  and  poor  commons  should  have  sufficient.  For  if  they 
had  sufficient,  thought  I,  they  had  cause  to  be  quiet.  And 
then  fell  I  to  make  this  argument  within  myself:  if  at  that 
time  it  were  put  in  their  will  and  power  that  they  might 
inclose,  leaving  to  the  tenant  that  were  sufficient  for  him ;  if 
they  had  it  then  in  their  power,  thought  I,  that  they  might 
this  do,  they  would  leave  no  more  than  sufficient.     If  they 

[l  "An  Act  concerning  the  improvement  of  commons  and  waste 
grounds,"  3  and  4  Edw.  VI.  c.  3.  This  act  recites  the  20  Hen.  III. 
c.  4,  and  Stat.  Westm.  2,  13  Edw.  I.  stat.  1.  c.  46.] 

[2  The  first.     See  the  preceding  note.] 

[3  Well ;  it  was  well  that  they  should  leave  sufficient  to  the  tenant. 
Well;  it  was  well,  &c.  1584,  1607.  But  1562  and  1571  read  as  in  the 
text.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  249 

left  to  the  tenants  and  poor  commons  no  more  in  those  days 
but  sufficient ;  then  if  they  had  any  more  taken  from  them 
since  that  time,  then  had  they  now  not  sufficient. 

They  in  Christ  are  equal  with  you.  Peers  of  the  realm 
must  needs  be.  The  poorest  ploughman  is  in  Christ  equal  aii [are equal 
with  the  greatest  prince  that  is.  Let  them,  therefore,  have 
sufficient  to  maintain  them,  and  to  find  them  their  necessaries. 
A  plough-land  must  have  sheep ;  yea,  they  must  have  sheep 
to  dung  their  ground  for  bearing  of  corn ;  for  if  they  have 
no  sheep  to  help  to  fat  the  ground,  they  shall  have  but  bare 
corn  and  thin.     They  must  have  swine  for  their  food,  to  The  piough- 

,,.  .  .  .  .,.  .     man,  what 

make  then'  venenes    or  bacon  ot :  their  bacon  is  their  veni-  js  requisite 

for  him. 

son,  for  they  shall  now  have  hangum  tuum,  if  they  get  any 
other  venison ;  so  that  bacon  is  their  necessary  meat  to  feed 
on,  which  they  may  not  lack.  They  must  have  other  cattle : 
as  horses  to  draw  their  plough,  and  for  carriage  of  things  to 
the  markets ;  and  kine  for  their  milk  and  cheese,  which  they 
must  live  upon  and  pay  their  rents.  These  cattle  must  have 
pasture,  which  pasture  if  they  lack,  the  rest  must  needs  fail 
them :  and  pasture  they  cannot  have,  if  the  land  be  taken  in, 
and  inclosed  from  them.  So,  as  I  said,  there  was  in  both 
parts  rebellion.  Therefore,  for  God's  love,  restore  their  suf-  a  good 
ficient  unto  them,  and  search  no  more  what  is  the  cause  of 
rebellion.  But  see  and  "  beware  of  covetousness ;"  for  covet- 
ousness  is  the  cause  of  rebellion.  Well  now,  if  covetousness 
be  the  cause  of  rebellion,  then  preaching  against  covetousness 
is  not  the  cause  of  rebellion.  Some  say,  that  the  preaching 
now-a-days  is  the  cause  of  all  sedition  and  rebellion:  for  since 
this  new  preaching  hath  come  in,  there  hath  been  much  sedi- 
tion ;  and  therefore  it  must  needs  be  that  the  preaching  is 
the  cause  of  rebellion  here  in  England.  Forsooth,  our  preach-  Preaching 
ing  is  the  cause  of  rebellion,  much  like  as  Christ  was  the  oVreMiion. 
cause  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  For,  saith  Christ,  Si 
non  venissem  et  locutus  fuissem  eis,  peccatum  non  haberent, 
&c.  "  If  I  had  not  come,1'  saith  Christ,  "and  spoken  to  them, 
they  should  have  no  sin."  So  we  preachers  have  come  and 
spoken  to  you :  we  have  drawn  our  swords  of  God's  word, 
and  stricken  at  the  roots  of  all  evil  to  have  them  cut  down ; 
and  if  ye  will  not  amend,  what  can  we  do  more?  And  preach- 

[4  Venaria,  animalia  quae  in  silvis  venatu  capiuntur  [Angl.  Game] 
ex  Gallico  Venerie.     Du  Cange,  in  verb.] 


250  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

ing  is  the  cause  of  sedition  here  in  England,  much  like  as 

Eiias  a  true    Elias  was  the  cause  of  trouble  in  Israel ;  for  he  was  a  preacher 

there,  and  told  the  people  of  all  degrees  their  faults,  and  so 

they  winced  and  kicked  at  him,  and  accused  him  to  Achab 

the   king,    that  he  was  a  seditious   fellow,  and  a  troublous 

preacher,  and  made  much  uproar  in  the  realm.      So  the  king 

sent  for  him,  and  he  was  brought  to  Achab  the  king,  who 

said  unto  him,  "Art  thou  he  that  troubleth  all  Israel?"    And 

Elias  answered,  and  said,  "  Nay,  thou  and  thy  father's  house 

are  they  that  trouble  all  Israel."     Elias  had  preached  God's 

word ;   he  had  plainly  told  the  people  of  their  evil  doings ; 

he  had  shewed  them  God's  threatenings.     In  God's  behalf  I 

Emperors      speak  :  there  is  neither  king,  nor  emperor,  be  they  never  in 

aredsub]fct to  so  great  estate,  but  they  are  subject  to  God's  word;  and 

Achab  and'    therefore  he  was  not  afraid  to  say  to  Achab,  "It  is  thou  and 

houf,  J  „    thy   father's  house  that  causeth   all   the  trouble  in  Israel." 

troubled  all  J 

Israel.  ^as  noi  this  presumptuously  spoken  to  a  king  ?  Was  not 
this  a  seditious  fellow?  Was  not  this  fellow's  preaching  a 
cause  of  all  the  trouble  in  Israel?  Was  he  not  worthy  to 
be  cast  in  Bocardo1  or  Little-ease2?  No,  but  he  had  used 
God's  sword,  which  is  his  word,  and  done  nothing  else  that 
was  evil ;  but  they  could  not  abide  it.     He  never  disobeyed 

Achab  dis-     Achab's  sword,  which  was  the  regal  power :  but  Achab  dis- 
obeyed the  . 

word  of  God.  obeyed  his  sword,  which  was  the  word  of  God.  And  there- 
fore by  the  punishment  of  God  much  trouble  arose  in  the 
realm  for  the  sins  of  Achab  and  the  people.  But  God's 
preacher,  God's  prophet,  was  not  the  cause  of  the  trouble. 
Then  is  it  not  we  preachers  that  trouble  England. 

But  here  is  now  an  argument  to  prove  the  matter  against 
the  preachers.  Here  was  preaching  against  covetousness  all 
the  last  year  in  Lent,  and  the  next  summer  followed  re- 
bellion ;  ergo,  preaching  against  covetousness  was  the  cause 
of  the  rebellion.  A  goodly  argument !  Here  now  I  remem- 
ber an  argument  of  Master  More's,  which  he  bringeth  in  a 

[!  A  well-known  prison  in  Oxford.  Ridley's  Works,  Park.  Soc. 
Edit.  p.  359.] 

[2  A  term  by  which  a  kind  of  pillory  was  usually  described.  The 
term,  however,  was  also  familiarly  applied  to  any  prison  of  narrow  di- 
mensions. " Locus... adeo  angustus,  ut  in  eo  nee  stare,  nee  sedere,  nee 
jacere  liceat."  Theatrum  Crudelit.  Heeret.  p.  72.  Antverp.  1592.  Foxc, 
Acts  and  Mon.  n.  194.  edit.  1684.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  251 

book  that  he  made  against  Bilney3:  and  here  by  the  way 
I  will  tell  you  a  merry  toy.  Master  More  was  once4  sent 
in  commission  into  Kent,  to  help  to  try  out,  if  it  might  be, 
what  was  the  cause  of  Goodwin  sands,  and  the  shelf  that 
stopped  up  Sandwich  haven.  Thither  cometh  Master  More, 
and  calleth  the  country  afore  him,  such  as  were  thought  to 
be  men  of  experience,  and  men  that  could  of  likelihood  best 
certify  him  of  that  matter  concerning  the  stopping  of  Sand- 
wich haven.  Among  others  came  in  before  him  an  old  man, 
with  a  white  head,  and  one  that  was  thought  to  be  little  less 
than  an  hundred  years  old.  When  Master  More  saw  this 
aged  man,  he  thought  it  expedient  to  hear  him  say  his  mind 
in  this  matter ;  for,  being  so  old  a  man,  it  was  likely  that  he 
knew  most  of  any  man  in  that  presence  and  company.  So 
Master  More  called  this  old  aged  man  unto  him,  and  said  : 
"  Father,"  said  he,  "  tell  me,  if  ye  can,  Avhat  is  the  cause  of 
this  great  arising  of  the  sands  and  shelves  here  about  this 
haven,  the  which  stop  it  up  that  no  ships  can  arrive  here  ? 
Te  are  the  eldest  man  that  I  can  espy  in  all  this  company, 
so  that  if  any  man  can  tell  any  cause  of  it,  ye  of  likelihood 
can  say  most  in  it ;  or  at  leastwise  more  than  any  other  man 
here  assembled."  "  Yea,  forsooth,  good  master,"  quoth  this 
old  man,  "for  I  am  well  nigh  an  hundred  years  old,  and  no 
man  here  in  this  company  any  thing  near  unto  mine  age." 
"  Well  then,"  quoth  Master  More,  "  how  say  you  in  this 
matter?  What  think  ye  to  be  the  cause  of  these  shelves 
and  flats  that  stop  up  Sandwich  haven?"  "Forsooth,  sir," 
quoth  he,  "  I  am  an  old  man  ;  I  think  that  Tenterton  steeple 
is  the  cause  of  Goodwin  sands.  For  I  am  an  old  man,  sir," 
quoth  he,  "  and  I  may  remember  the  building  of  Tenterton 
steeple ;  and  I  may  remember  when  there  was  no  steeple  at 
all  there.  And  before  that  Tenterton  steeple  was  in  build-  Tenterton 
ing,  there  was  no  manner  of  speaking  of  any  flats  or  sands  delayed 
that  stopped  the  haven ;  and  therefore  I  think  that  Tenterton  haven- 
steeple  is  the  cause  of  the  destroying  and  decay  of  Sandwich 
haven."    And  even  so,  to  my  purpose,  is  preaching  of  God's 

[3  Tyndale.] 

[4  Sir  Thomas  More  does  not  say  that  he  was  sent  to  inquire  into 
the  cause  of  Goodwin  sands,  but  that  the  inquiry  was  conducted  by 
"divers  men  of  worshippe."  ''Dialogue  concernynge  Heresyes,"  Book 
iv.  (t.  14,  Works,  p.  277,  II.  where  the  story  is  told.] 


252  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 


word  the  cause  of  rebellion,  as  Tenterton  steeple  was  cause 
Sandwich  haven  is  decayed.  And  is  not  this  a  gay  matter, 
that  such  should  be  taken  for  great  wise  men  that  will  thus 
reason  against  the  preacher  of  God's  word  ? 

But  here  I  would  take  an  occasion  by  the  way  of  a 
digression  to  speak  somewhat  to  my  sisters,  the  women,  to 
do  them  some  good  too ;  because  I  would  do  all  folks  good 
if  I  could,  before  I  take  my  ultimum  vale,  at  leastwise  here 
of  this  place :  for  I  think  I  shall  no  more  come  here ;  for  I 
think  I  have  not  long  to  live ;  so  that  I  judge  I  take  my 
leave  now  of  the  court  for  ever,  and  shall  no  more  come  in 
jesabeia  this  place.  Achab  was  a  king,  but  Jesabel,  Jesabel,  she 
woman!  was  the  perilous  woman.  She  would  rule  her  husband,  the 
king ;  she  would  bear  a  stroke  in  all  things,  and  she  would 
order  matters  as  pleased  her.  And  so  will  many  women  do ; 
they  will  rule  their  husbands,  and  do  all  things  after  their 
own  minds.  They  do  therein  against  the  order  by  God 
appointed  them :  they  break  their  injunction  that  God  gave 
unto  them.  Yea,  it  is  now  come  to  the  lower  sort,  to  mean 
men's  wives ;  they  will  rule  and  apparel  themselves  gorge- 
ously, and  some  of  them  far  above  their  degrees,  whether 
their  husbands  will  or  no.  But  they  break  their  injunction, 
and  do  therein  contrary  to  God's  ordinance.  God  saith, 
Subdita  eris  sub  potestate  viri ;  "Thou  shalt  be  subject 
under  the  power  of  thy  husband."  Thou  shalt  be  subject. 
Women  are  subjects ;  ye  be  subjects  to  your  husbands.  At 
the  first,  the  man  and  the  woman  were  equal.  But  after 
women,  how  that  she  had  given  credit  to  the  serpent,  then  she  had  an 

they  became  O  i 

subject.  injunction  set  upon  her :  Subdita  eris  sub  potestate  viri, 
"  Thou  shalt  be  subject  under  the  power  of  thy  husband." 
And  as  for  one  part  of  her  injunction  she  taketh ;  and  she 
taketh  one  part  of  her  penance,  because  she  cannot  avoid 

God's ordi-    it,  and  that  is,  In  dolore  paries,   "Thou  shalt  bring  forth 

nance  touch-  .  \  ,  ...... 

ing  women,  children  with  pain  and  travad."  Ihis  part  of  their  injunction 
they  take,  and  yet  is  the  same  so  grievous,  that  Chrysostom ! 
saith,  if  it  were  not  for  the  ordinance  of  God,  which  cannot 

[!  Mera  to  TeKeiv  kcll  ttjs  ano  tu>v  Kaparcov  evcppoo-vvrjs  a7ro\avo-at, 
nakiv  amrep  eTVi\adop.evai  tu>v  yeyevrjpevaiv  aTravruv  iuvras  eK8c86acri  npbs 
Ti]v  twv  reicveov  yovijv,  Tov  (piXavdpanrov  Qeoii  ovrcos  oiKovoptjcravros  irpoi 
o-varao-iv  ttjs  tu>v  av6pairu>v  o-aTTjpias.  In  Genes,  in.  Homilia  XVII. 
Opera,  Tom.  iv.  p.  144,  Edit.  Bened.  Paris.  1721.] 


tion  maketh 
women  sub- 
ject to  their 
husbands. 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  253 

be  made  frustrate  by  man,  they  would  never  come  to  it 
again  for  no  worldly  good.  But  God  hath  provided  herein : 
and  as  Christ  saith  in  the  gospel,  Mulier  cum  parit  tristi-  Women's 
tiam  habet,  #c,  "  The  woman  when  she  beareth  a  child  hath 
sorrow,  but  afterward  she  rcmembereth  not  the  pain,  because 
there  is  a  soul  brought  forth  into  the  world."  But  as  it  is 
a  part  of  your  penance,  ye  women,  to  travail  in  bearing  your 
children ;  so  it  is  a  part  of  your  penance  to  be  subjects  unto 
your  husbands :  ye  are  underlings,  underlings,  and  must  be 
obedient.  But  this  is  now  made  a  trifle  and  a  small  matter : 
and  yet  it  is  a  sad  matter,  a  godly  matter,  a  ghostly  matter, 
a  matter  of  damnation  and  salvation.  And  Paul  saith,  that 
"  a  woman  ought  to  have  a  power  on  her  head."  What  is 
this,  "to  have  a  power  on  her  head  ?"  It  is  a  manner  of  speak- 
ing of  the  scripture ;  and  to  have  her  power  on  her  head, 
is  to  have  a  sign  and  token  of  power,  which  is  by  covering  why  wo- 

°  ill  •  ,  ,  men's  heads 

of  her  head,  declaring  that  she  hath  a  superior  above  her,  be  covered. 
by  whom  she  ought  to  be  ruled  and  ordered :  for  she  is  not 
immediately  under   God,  but  mediately.      For   by  their  in- 
i  unction,   the  husband  is  their  head  under  God,    and  they  Husband 

"  .  .  "    head  of  his 

subjects  unto  their  husbands.    But  this  "power"  that  some  of  wife- 
them  have   is   disguised  gear  and  strange  fashions.     They 
must  wear  French  hoods,  and  I  cannot  tell  you,  I,  what  to 
call  it.     And  when  they  make  them  ready,  and  come  to  the 
covering  of  their  head,  they  will  call  and  say,  "  Give  me  my 
French  hood,  and  give  me  my  bonnet,  or  my  cap ;"  and  so 
forth.     I  would  wish  that  the  women  would  call  the  covering 
of  their  heads  by  the  terms  of  the  scripture  :  as  when  she  women 
would  have  her  cap,  I  would  she  would  say,  "  Give  me  my  ^ea^tahnd 
power."      I  would  they  would  learn  to  speak  as  the  Holy  ^jheth 
Ghost  speaketh,  and  call  it  by  such  a  name  as  St  Paid  doth. them' 
I  would  they  would  (as  they  have  much  pricking8),  when 
they  put  on  their  cap,  I  would  they  would  have  this  medita- 
tion :   "  I  am  now  putting  on  my  power  upon  my  head."     If 
they  had  this  thought  in  their  minds,  they  would  not  make 
so  much  pricking  up  of  themselves  as  they  do  now-a-days. 
But  now  here  is  a  vengeance  devil :  we  must  have  our  power 
from   Turkey,   of  velvet,  and  gay  it  must  be ;  far  fetched, 
dear  bought ;  and  when  it  cometh,  it  is  a  false  sign.     I  had 
rather  have  a  true  English  sign,  than  a  false  sign  from  Turkey. 
[2  Dressing  for  shew,  making  a  parade.] 


254  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

It  is  a  false  sign  when  it  covereth  not  their  heads  as  it  should 
do.    For  if  they  would  keep  it  under  the  power  as  they  ought 

Tussocks  ami  to  do,  there  should  not  any  such  tussocks  nor  tufts  be  seen 
as  there  be ;  nor  such  laying  out  of  the  hair,  nor  braiding  to 
have  it  open.  I  would  marvel  of  it,  how  it  should  come  to 
be  so  abused,  and  so  far  out  of  order ;  saving  that  I  know 
by  experience  that  many  will  not  be  ruled  by  their  husbands, 
as  they  ought  to  be.  I  have  been  desired  to  exhort  some, 
and  with  some  I  could  do  little  in  that  matter.     But  there 

Many  Adams  be  now  many  Adams  that  will  not  displease  their  wives,  but 

'  will  in  this  behalf  let  them  have  all  their  own  minds,  and  do 

as  them  listeth.     And  some  others  again  there  be  now-a-days 

that  will  defend  it,  and  say  it  may  be  suffered  well  enough, 

because  it  is  not  expressed  in  scripture,  nor  spoken  of  by 

name.      Though  we  have  not  express  mention  in  scripture 

against  such  laying  of  the   hair  in  tussocks  and  tufts,   yet 

we  have  in  scripture  express  mention  de  tortis  crinibus,  of 

wreathen  hair ;   that  is,  for  the  nonce  forced  to  curl.     But  of 

The  cause     these  tussocks  that  are  laid  out  now-a-days  there  is  no  men- 
why  tussocks    #  J  . 

scripture.  ^on  made  m  scriptures,  because  they  were  not  used  in  scrip- 
ture-time. They  were  not  yet  come  to  be  so  far  out  of 
order  as  to  lay  out  such  tussocks  and  tufts.  But  I  will  tell 
thee,  if  thou  wilt  needs  lay  it  out,  or  if  thou  wilt  needs  shew 
thy  hair,  and  have  it  seen,  go  and  poll  thy  head,  or  round  it, 
as  men  do  ;  for  to  what  purpose  is  it  to  pull  it  out  so,  and  to 
lay  it  out  ?  Some  do  it,  say  they,  of  a  simplicity  :  some  do 
it  of  a  pride ;  and  some  of  other  causes.     But  they  do  it 

some  women  because   they   will   be   quarter-master   with   their   husbands. 

quarter,  half,  J  l 

n"^^?16     Quarter-masters  ?  Nay,  half-masters  ;  yea,  some  of  them  will 

be  whole  masters,  and  rule  the  roast  as  they  list  themselves. 

But  these  defenders  of  it  will  not  have  it  evil,  because  it 

is  not  spoken  of  in  scripture.     But  there  be  other  things  as 

evil  as  this,  which  are  not  spoken  of  in  scripture  expressly ; 

but  they  are  implied  in  scripture,  as  well  as  though  they 

were  expressly  spoken  of.      For  the  prophet  Isaiah  saith: 

Vai  qui  consurgitis  mane  ad  comessandum,  ad  ebrietatem 

sectandam  et  potando  usque  ad  vesperam,  ut  vino  o?stuetis. 

"  Wo  unto  you  that  arise  early  in  the  morning,  and  go  to 

drinking  until   night,  that  ye  may  swim  in  wine."      This  is 

afilinst  ban°n  *^e  scripture  against  banqueting  and  drunkenness.    But  now 

ttfrfnel.  tney  banquet  all  night,  and  lie  a-bed  in  the  day-time  till 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  255 

noon,  and  the  scripture  speaketh  nothing  of  that.  But  what 
then?  The  devil  hath  his  purpose  this  way,  as  well  as  the 
other :  he  hath  his  purpose  as  well  by  revelling  and  keeping- 
ill  rule  all  night,  as  by  rising  early  in  the  morning  and  ban- 
queting all  day.  So  the  devil  hath  his  purpose  both  ways.  Thedevii 
Ye  noblemen,  ye  great  men,  I  wot  not  what  rule  ye  keep,  purpose. 
For  God's  sake,  hear  the  complaints  and  suits  of  the  poor. 
Many  complain  against  you,  that  ye  lie  a-bed  till  eight,  or 
nine,  or  ten  of  the  clock.  I  cannot  tell  what  revel  ye  have 
over-night ;  whether  in  banqueting,  or  dicing,  or  carding,  or 
how  it  is  ;  but  in  the  morning,  when  poor  suitors  come  to 
your  houses,  ye  cannot  be  spoken  withal :  they  are  kept 
sometimes  without  your  gates,  or  if  they  be  let  into  the  hall, 
or  some  outer  chamber,  out  cometh  one  or  other,  "  Sir,  ye 
cannot  speak  with  my  lord  yet ;  my  lord  is  asleep ;  or  he  My  lord  i 
hath  had  business  of  the  king's  all  night,"  &c.  And  thus 
poor  suitors  are  driven  off  from  day  to  day,  that  they  cannot 
speak  with  you  in  three,  or  four  days,  yea,  a  whole  month  : 
what  shall  I  say  more  ?  yea,  a  whole  year  sometimes,  ere 
they  can  come  to  your  speech,  to  be  heard  of  you.  For 
God's  love  look  better  to  it.  Speak  with  poor  men  when 
they  come  to  your  houses ;  aud  despatch  poor  suitors,  as 
indeed  some  noblemen  do ;  and  would  Christ  that  all  noble- 
men would  so  do !  But  some  do.  I  went  one  day  myself 
betime  in  the  morning  to  a  great  man's  house  to  speak  with 
him  in  business  that  I  had  of  mine  own.  And  methought 
I  was  up  betimes ;  but  when  I  came  thither,  the  great  man 
was  gone  forth  about  such  affairs  as  behoved  him,  or  I  came. 
Well;  yet,  thought  I,  this  is  well,  I  like  this  well:  this  man  The  praise  of 
doth  somewhat  regard  and  consider  his  office  and  duty.  I 
came  too  late  for  mine  own  matter,  and  lost  my  journey,  and 
my  early  rising  too  :  and  yet  I  was  glad  that  I  had  been  so 
beguiled.  For  God's  love  follow  this  example,  ye  great  men, 
and  arise  in  the  mornings,  and  be  ready  for  men  to  speak 
with  them,  and  to  despatch  suitors  that  resort  unto  you.  But 
all  these  I  bring  to  disprove  them  that  defend  evil  things, 
because  they  be  not  expressly  spoken  against  in  the  scripture. 
But  what  forceth  that,  when  the  devil  hath  his  purpose,  and 
is  served  as  well  one  way  as  another  way  ?  Though  it  be  not 
expressly  spoken  against  in  scripture,  yet  I  reckon  it  plainly 
enough  implied  in  the  scripture. 


a  noble  man. 


256 


LAST  SERMON  PREACHED  BEFORE 


[sERM. 


But  now  to  come  to  my  matter  again :  Videte  et  cavete 
ah  avaritia;  "  See  and  beware  of  covetousness :"  and  I  shall 

to°be  eon"-^    desire  you  to  consider  four  things  :  Quis  dicat ;  quid  dicat ; 

sidered.  ^  dicat ;  et  quare  dicat :  "  Who  speaketh  it ;  what  he 
speaketh ;  to  whom  he  speaketh ;  and  wherefore  he  speak- 
eth it."  As  here,  Christ  speaketh  to  a  rich  man  against 
avarice.  And  why  against  avarice?  What  shall  be  the 
end  of  all  covetous  persons  ?  Eternal  damnation.  "  For 
the  covetous  persons,"  saith  Paul,  "  shall  not  possess  nor 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  Here  therefore  I  shall 
desire  you  to  pray,  &c. 

[The  second  part  of  the  Sermon.'] 

Videte  et  cavete  ah  avaritia. 
See  and  beware  of  covetousness. 


A  thorny 
brother 
worse  than 
a  papist. 


First,  who  spake  these  words  ?  Forsooth,  Christ  spake 
them.  ,If  I  had  spoken  them  of  myself,  it  had  been  little 
worth ;  but  Christ  spake  them,  and  upon  a  good  occasion. 
The  story  is,  Duo  litigabant  inter  se,  "  There  were  two 
at  strife  between  themselves ;"  and  by  this  it  appeareth  that 
Christ  spake  them.  Well,  Christ  spake  these  words  at  that 
time ;  and  now  he  speaketh  them  by  his  preacher,  whom  ye 
ought  to  believe ;  and  so  it  is  all  one.  But  upon  what 
occasion  did  he  speak  it  ?  There  were  two  brethren  at  strife 
together  for  lands,  wealthy  men,  as  it  appeareth,  and  the 
rich  fellow  would  not  tarry  till  Christ  had  ended  his  sermon, 
but  interrupted  it,  and  would  needs  have  his  matter  de- 
spatched by  and  by.  He  was  at  Christ's  sermon,  but  yet 
he  would  not  defer  his  worldly  cause  till  Christ  had  made 
an  end  of  his  godly  exhortation.  This  was  a  thorny  brother ; 
he  was  a  gospeller ;  he  was  a  carnal  gospeller  (as  many  be 
now-a-days  for  a  piece  of  an  abbey,  or  for  a  portion  of 
chantry-lands),  to  get  somewhat  by  it,  and  to  serve  his 
commodity.  He  was  a  gospeller  ;  one  of  the  new  brethren  ; 
somewhat  worse  than  a  rank  papist.  Howbeit,  a  rank  papist 
now-a-days  shall  sooner  have  promotion  than  a  true  gospeller 
shall  have:  the  more  is  the  pity1.  But  this  was  a  thorny 
gospeller:  he  heard  Christ's  preaching  and  followed  him  for 
\}  the  more  pity,  1562,  1571.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  257 

company,  and  heard  his  words ;  but  he  was  never  the  better 
for  it ;  but  the  care  of  the  world  so  choked  the  word  of  God 
in  him,  that  he  could  not  hear  the  sermon  to  the  end,  but 
interrupted  the  sermon  for  his  worldly  matter,  ere  it  were  all 
done.  And  what  was  Christ  then  doing  ?  Forsooth  he  was 
sowing  of  o-ood  seed,  but  it  fell  upon  stony  ground,  so  that  it  cim'st  soweth 

o  °  r  "     °     .  good  seed. 

could  not  take  any  root  in  this  fellow,  to  bring  forth  good 
fruit  in  him.  And  let  me  tell  you  of  the  seed  that  Christ 
was  then  sowing :  bear  with  me  awhile ;  and  seeing  that  I 
come  now  to  take  my  ultimum  vale  of  this  place,  hear  me 
patiently,  and  give  me  leave  a  little  while,  and  let  me  take 
my  leave  honestly.  At  the  time  when  this  fellow  interrupted 
Christ's  sermon,  he  was  preaching  a  long  sermon  to  his 
disciples,  and  to  the  people,  being  gathered  together  in  a 
wonderful  great  multitude,  as  appeareth  in  the  twelfth  chap- 
ter of  St  Luke's  gospel :  and  there  he  first  of  all  taught  his 
disciples  a  good  lesson,  saying,  Cavete  vobis  a  fermento 
Pharisaiorum :  "  Beware  in  any  wise,"  saith  he,  "  of  the 
leaven  of  the  Pharisees."  What  is  this  leaven  of  the  Phari- 
sees ?  Leaven  is  sometimes  taken  for  corrupt  living,  which  Leaven  is 
infecteth  others  by  the  evil  example  thereof ;  and  against  taken.6  y 
such  corrupt  living  God"^  preacher  must  cry  out  earnestly, 
and  never  cease  till  it  be  rooted  up.  In  the  city  of  Corinth 
one  had  married  Ms  step-mother,  his  father's  wife :  and  he 
was  a  jolly  fellow,  a  great  rich  man,  an  alderman  of  the 
city ;  and  therefore  they  winked  at  it,  they  would  not 
meddle  in  the  matter,  they  had  nothing  to  do  with  it :  and 
he  was  one  of  the  head  men,  of  such  rule  and  authority,  that 
they  durst  not,  many  of  them.  But  St  Paul,  hearing  of  the 
matter,  writ  unto  them,  and  in  God's  behalf  charged  them  to 
do  away  such  abomination  from  among  them.  St  Paul 
would  not  leave  them  till  he  had  excommunicated  the  wicked 
doer  of  such  abomination.  If  we  should  noAV  excommunicate 
all  such  wicked  doers,  there  would  be  much  ado  in  England. 
Ye  that  are  magistrates  shew  favour  for  affection  to  such, 
and  will  not  suffer  they  may  be  rooted  out  or  put  to  shame. 
Oh,  he  is  such  a  man's  servant,  we  may  not  do  him  any 
shame.  Oh,  he  is  a  gentleman,  &c.  And  so  the  thing  is 
not  now  any  thing  looked  unto.  Lechery  is  used  throughout 
England,  and  such  lechery  as  is  used  in  none  other  place  of 
the  world.     And  yet  it  is  made  a  matter  of  sport,  a  matter 

r  i  17 

[LATIMER.  J 


258  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

of  nothing;  a  laughing  matter,  and  a  trifle;  not  to  be  passed 
on,  nor  to  be  reformed.  But  beware,  ye  that  are  magistrates : 
their  sin  doth  leaven  you  all.  Therefore  for  God's  love 
beware  of  this  leaven.  Well,  I  trust  it  will  be  one  day 
amended.  I  look  not  to  live  long,  and  yet  I  trust,  as  old 
as  I  am,  to  live  so  long  as  to  see  lechery  punished.  I  would 
wish  that  Moses's  law  were  restored  for  punishment  of 
lechery,  and  that  the  offenders  therein  might  be  punished 
according  to  the  prescription  of  Moses's  law.  And  here  I 
will  make  a  suit  to  your  Highness  to  restore  unto  the  church 
the  discipline  of  Christ1,  in  excommunicating  such  as  be 
notable  offenders ;  nor  never  devise  any  other  way.  For 
cod  can  no  man  is  able  to  devise  a  better  way  than  God  hath  done, 
laws.  which  is  excommunication,  to  put  them  from  the  congregation 

till  they  be  confounded.  Therefore  restore  Christ's  discipline 
for  excommunication ;  and  that  shall  be  a  means  both  to 
pacify  God's  wrath  and  indignation  against  us ;  and  also, 
that  less  abomination  shall  be  used  than  in  times  past  hath 
been,  and  is  at  this  day.  I  speak  this  of  a  conscience,  and 
I  mean  and  move  it  of  a  good-will  to  your  grace  and  your 
Discipline  to  realm.      Bring  into  the  Church  of  England  open  discipline  of 

be  brought  °  .  »  l  * 

chuAh6        excommunication,  that  open  smners  may  be  stricken  withal. 

Sometimes  leaven  is  taken  for  corrupt  doctrine :  and  so 
it  is  here  taken  in  this  place,  when  he  saith,  "  Beware  of  the 
leaven  of  the  Pharisees."  For  Christ  intended  to  make  his 
disciples  teachers  of  all  the  world,  and  therefore  to  beware 
of  corrupt  doctrine.  And  that  that  he  said  to  them,  he 
saith  also  to  us ;  receive  no  corrupt  doctrine,  no  mingle- 
Mingie-  mangle:  yet  there  be  leaveners  yet  still,  and  mingle-manglers 
and  leaven  that  have  soured  Christ's  doctrine  with  the  leaven  of  the 
Pharisees.  Yea,  and  where  there  is  any  piece  of  leaven, 
they  will  maintain  that  one  piece,  more  than  all  the  doctrine 
of  Christ ;  and  about  that  purpose  they  occupy  and  bestow 
all  their  wits.     This  was  the  first  seed. 

[!  On  the  fourteenth  of  November,  1549,  the  bishops,  in  like 
manner,  complained  to  Parliament  of  the  great  increase  of  im- 
morality ;  and  represented  that  they  had  not  sufficient  legal  authority 
to  punish  vice,  or  to  enforce  the  discipline  of  the  Church.  A  bill 
was  in  consequence  brought  into  Parliament  with  a  view  to  remedy- 
ing the  evils  complained  of,  but  it  did  not  pass  into  a  law.  Collier, 
Eccles.  Hist.  Vol.  v.  p.  373.  Svo.  edit.] 


t-rs 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  259 

The  second  seed  was,  Nihil  occidtum,  quod  non  revela- 
bitur;  "  There  is  nothing  privy  or  hidden  that  shall  not  be 
revealed  and  opened."  It  pertaineth  all  to  one  purpose :  for 
there  he  taught  his  disciples  to  beware  of  the  leaven,  which 
was  hypocrisy  ;  declaring  unto  them,  that  hypocrisy  would 
not  be  always  hidden,  but  such  as  were  not  sincere  should  be 
known  at  the  last  day,  and  all  that  was  taught  should  at 
length  be  known.  It  hath  also  another  meaning,  for  it  is 
God's  proverb,  "  There  is  nothing  so  privy  but  it  shall  be  g<xTs 
opened ;"  at  leastwise  in  the  great  day  of  reckoning,  in  the  prm' 
dreadful  day  of  general  account,  in  the  day  of  revelation : 
then  shall  it  be  openly  known,  whatsoever  is  done,  be  it 
never  so  privily  done.  These  fellows  that  have  their  fetches 
and  their  far  compasses  to  bring  things  to  their  purposes, 
work  they  never  so  privily,  never  so  covertly,  yet  at  the  last 
day  their  doings  shall  be  openly  revealed,  usque  ad  satieta- 
tem  visionis,  saith  the  prophet  Esay,  till  all  the  world  shall 
see  it,  to  their  shame  and  confusion  that  are  the  doers  of  it. 
As  the  prophet  Jeremy  saith,  Sicut  confunditur  fur  qui 
deprehenditur,  "  Even  as  a  thief  that  is  taken  with  the 
manner  when  he  stealeth,  so  shall  sinners  be  openly  con- 
founded, and  their  evil  doings  opened."  Yea,  and  though  it 
be  not  known  in  this  world,  yet  it  shall  be  known  at  the 
last  day  to  their  damnation.  Indeed  God  hath  verified  his 
proverb  from  time  to  time,  "  Nothing  is  so  privy  the  which 
shall  not  be  revealed."  AVhen  Cain  had  killed  his  brother  cain-s  fault 
Abel,  he  thought  he  had  conveyed  the  matter  so  privily  and  hid. 
so  closely,  that  it  should  never  have  been  known  nor  have 
come  to  light :  but  first,  God  knew  it  well  enough,  and  called 
unto  him  saying,  "  Cain,  where  is  thy  brother  Abel  ?"  But 
he  thought  he  could  have  beguiled  God  too ;  and  therefore 
he  answered,  "  I  cannot  tell."  "  What,"  quoth  Cain,  "  am  I 
set  to  keep  my  brother  ?  I  cannot  tell  where  he  is."  But  at 
last  he  was  confounded,  and  his  murder  brought  to  light ; 
and  now  all  the  world  readeth  it  in  the  bible.  Joseph's 
brethren  had  sold  him  away;  thev  took  his  motley  coat  and  joscph-s 

.  "  .".      .  .        .  -  ,  .  ..  brethren 

besprinkled  it  over  and  over  with  blood;    they  thought  all  wrought 
was  cock-sure;  they  had   conveyed  the  matter  so  secretly, 
that  they  thought  all  the  world  could  never  have  espied  it. 
And  yet  out  it  came  to  their  great  benefit.      And  now  it  is 
known  to  us   all,  as  many   as  can    read  the  bible.     David 

17—2 


2G0  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

saw  a  fair  woman  wash  her  naked.  Then  he  was  straight- 
way ravished,  he  was  clean  gone  by,  and  would  needs 
have  her.  He  sent  for  her;  yea,  he  had  gentlemen  of 
his  chamber  about  him,  that  went  for  her  by  and  by  and 
fetched  her. 

And  here  I  have  another  suit  to  your  Highness.  When 
you  come  to  age,  beware  what  persons  ye  have  about  you : 
for  if  ye  be  set  on  pleasure,  or  disposed  to  wantonness,  ye 
shall  have  ministers  enough  to  be  furtherers  and  instruments 
of  it.  But  David,  by  his  wisdom  and  policy,  thought  so  to 
have  cloked  the  matter,  that  it  should  never  have  been  known. 
He  sent  for  her  husband  Uriah,  and  shewed  him  a  fair  coun- 
tenance, and  looked  merrily  on  him,  and  sent  him  forth  to 
war,  that  he  might  do  his  pleasure  with  Berseba  afterward ; 
and  he  thought  he  had  wrought  wondrous  privily.  He 
thought  all  the  matter  cock-sure.  But  the  prophet  of  God, 
Nathan,  came  and  laid  Ins  fault  plain  before  Ins  face;  and 
who  is  now  that  knoweth  it  not  ? 
a  bribing  Elizeus'  servant,  Giezi,  a  bribing  brother,  he  came  colour- 

ably  to  Naaman  the  Syrian :  he  feigned  a  tale  of  his  master 
Elizeus,  as  all  bribers  will  do,  and  told  him  that  his  master 
had  need  of  this  and  that,  and  took  of  Naaman  certain  things, 
and  bribed  it  away  to  his  own  behoof  secretly,  and  thought 
that  it  should  never  have  come  out ;  but  Elizeus  knew  it  well 
enough.  The  servant  had  Ins  bribes  that  he  sought,  yet  was 
he  stricken  with  the  leper,  and  so  openly  shamed. 

Think  on  this,  ye  that  are  bribers,  when  ye  go  so  secretly 
about  such  things  :  have  this  in  your  minds,  when  ye  devise 
your  secret  fetches  and  conveyances1,  how  Elizeus'  servant 
God's  )iro-  was  served,  and  was2  openly  known.  For  God's  proverb 
be  true.  will  be  true,  "There  is  nothing  hidden  that  will  not  be 
revealed."  He  that  took  the  silver  bason  and  ewer  for  a 
bribe,  thinketh  that  it  will  never  come  out :  but  he  may  now 
know  that  I  knoAv  it;  and  I  know  it  not  alone,  there  be  more 
beside  me  that  know  it.  Oh  briber  and  bribery !  he  was 
never  a  good  man  that  will  so  take  bribes.  Nor  I  can  never 
believe  that  he  that  is  a  briber  shall  be  a  good  justice.  It 
will  never  be  merry  in  England,  till  we  have  the  skins  of 
such.      For  what  necdeth  bribing,  where  men  do  their  things 

f1  conveyance,  1562.] 
P  to  be,  1562.] 


rantnl 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  261 

uprightly,  3[as  for  men  that  arc  officers,  and  have  a  matter 
of  charge  in  their  hands  ?] 

But  now  I  will  play  St  Paul,  and  translate  the  thing  on 
myself.  I  will  become  the  king's  officer  for  awhile.  I  have 
to  lay  out  for  the  king  twenty  thousand  pounds,  or  a  great 
sum,  whatsoever  it  be  :  well,  when  I  have  laid  it  out,  and  do  The  abuse  of 

!•••  T  •  i  i  i        i  i  the  king's 

bring  in  mine  account,  I  must  give  three  hundred  marks  to  officers. 
have  my  bills  warranted.  If  I  have  done  truly  and  uprightly, 
what  should  need  me  to  give  a  penny  to  have  my  bills  war- 
ranted ?  If  I  have  done  my  office  truly,  and  do  bring  in  a 
true  account,  wherefore  should  one  groat  be  given  ?  yea, 
one  groat,  for  warranting  of  my  bills  ?  Smell  ye  nothing  in  to  be  war 
this  ?  What  necdeth  any  bribes-giving,  except  the  bills  be 
false  ?  No  man  giveth  bribes  for  warranting  of  his  bills, 
except  they  be  false  bills.  Well,  such  practice  hath  been  in 
England,  but  beware ;  it  will  out  one  day  :  beware  of  God's 
proverb,  "  There  is  nothing  hidden  that  shall  not  be  opened  ;" 
yea,  even  in  this  world,  if  ye  be  not  the  children  of  dam- 
nation. And  here  now  I  speak  to  you,  my  masters,  minters, 
augmentationcrs4,  receivers,  surveyors,  and  auditors  :  I  make 
a  petition  unto  you  ;  I  beseech  you  all  be  good  to  the  king. 
He  hath  been  good  to  you,  therefore  be  good  to  him  :  yea, 
be  good  to  your  own  souls.  Ye  are  known  well  enough,  what  given  ""aii 
ye  were  afore  ye  came  to  your  offices,  and  what  lands  ye  had  ° 
then,  and  what  ye  have  purchased  since,  and  what  buildings 
ye  make  daily.  Well,  I  pray  you  so  build,  that  the  king's 
workmen  may  be  paid.  They  make  their  moan  that  they 
can  get  no  money.  The  poor  labourers,  gun-makers,  powder- 
men,  bow-makers,  arrow-makers,  smiths,  carpenters,  soldiers, 
and  other  crafts,  cry  out  for  their  duties.  They  be  unpaid, 
some  of  them,  three  or  four  months ;  yea,  some  of  them  half 
a  year  :  yea,  some  of  them  put  up  bills  this  time  twelve 
months  for  their  money,  and  cannot  be  paid  yet.  They  cry 
out  for  their  money,  and,  as  the  prophet  saith,  Clamor  ope- 
rariorurn  ascendit  ad  aures  meas ;  "  The  cry  of  the  work- 
men is  come  up  to  mine  ears."  0,  for  God's  love,  let  the 
workmen  be  paid,  if  there  be  money  enough  ;  or  else  there 

[3  inserted  from  1562.] 

[4  Officers  of  the  Augmentation  Court,  which  was  established  by 
27  Hen.  VIII.  for  determining  suits  and  controversies  respecting  the 
monasteries  and  abbey-lands.] 


262  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED     BEFORE  [sERM. 

will  whole  showers  of  God's  vengeance  rain  down  upon  your 
heads  !  Therefore,  ye  minters,  and  ye  augmentationers,  serve 
the  king  truly.  So  build  and  purchase,  that'  the  king  may 
have  money  to  pay  his  workmen.  It  seemeth  evil-favouredly, 
that  ye  should  have  enough  wherewith  to  build  superfluously, 
and  the  king  lack  to  pay  his  poor  labourers.  AVell,  yet  I 
doubt  not  but  that  there  be  some  good  officers.  But  I  will 
not  swear  for  all. 

I  have  now  preached  three  Lents.  The  first  time  I 
preached  restitution.  "Restitution,"  quoth  some,  "what  should 
he  preach  of  restitution  ?  Let  him  preach  of  contrition," 
quoth  they,  "  and  let  restitution  alone  ;  we  can  never  make 
restitution."  Then,  say  I,  if  thou  wilt  not  make  restitution, 
thou  shalt  go  to  the  devil  for  it.  Now  choose  thee  either 
restitution,  or  else  endless  damnation.  But  now  there  be 
two  manner  of  restitutions ;  secret  restitution,  and  open  resti- 
tution :  whether  of  both  it  be,  so  that  restitution  be  made,  it 
is  all  good  enough.  At  my  first  preaching  of  restitution,  one 
good  man1  took  remorse  of  conscience,  and  acknowledged 
himself  to  me,  that  he  had  deceived  the  king  ;  and  willing  he 
was  to  make  restitution :  and  so  the  first  Lent  came  to  my 
hands  twenty  pounds  to  be  restored  to  the  king's  use.  I  was 
promised  twenty  pound  more  the  same  Lent,  but  it  could  not 
be  made,  so  that  it  came  not.  Well,  the  next  Lent  came 
three  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  more.  I  received  it  my- 
self, and  paid  it  to  the  king's  council.  So  I  was  asked, 
what  he  was  that  made  this2  restitution  ?  But  should  I  have 
named  him  ?  Nay,  they  should  as  soon  have  this  wesant3  of 
mine.  Well,  now  this  Lent  came  one  hundred  and  fourscore 
pounds  ten  shillings,  which  I  have  paid  and  delivered  this 
present  day  to  the  king's  council :  and  so  this  man  hath  made 
a  godly  restitution.  "And  so,"  quoth  I  to  a  certain  nobleman 
that  is  one  of  the  king's  council,  "  if  every  man  that  hath 
beguiled  the  king  should  make  restitution  after  this  sort,  it 
would  cough  the  king  twenty  thousand  pounds,  I  think," 
quoth  I.  "  Yea,  that  it  would,"  quoth  the  other,  "  a  whole 
hundred  thousand  pounds."     Alack,  alack  ;   make  restitution ; 

[!  This  "good  man"  is  said,  by  Strype  and  others,  to  have  been 
John  Bradford  ;  but  there  are  reasons  for  doubting  that  opinion.] 
[3  that  thus  made,  1562,  1571.] 
[3  Wesant:    wind-pipe.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  263 

for  God's  sake  make  restitution :  ye  will  cough  in  hell  else,  Let  not  the 
that  all  the  devils  there  will  laugh  at  your  coughing.     There  atyour  "* 

coui*hin£. 

is  no  remedy,  but  restitution  open  or  secret ;  or  else  hell. 

This  that  I  have  now  told  you  of  was  a  secret  restitution. 
Some  examples  hath  been  of  open  restitution,  and  glad  may 
he  be  that  God  was  so  friendly  unto  him,  to  bring  him  unto 
it   in   this  .  world.      I   am  not  afraid  to  name   him  ;  it  was 
Master  Sherington4,  an  honest  gentleman,  and  one  that  God 
loveth.     He  openly  confessed  that  he  had  deceived  the  king, 
and  he  made  open  restitution.      Oh,  what  an  argument  may 
he  have  against  the  devil,  when  he  shall  move  him  to  despe- 
ration !    God  brought  this  out  to  his  amendment.      It  is  a 
token  that  he  is  a  chosen  man  of  God,  and  one  of  his  elected.  „  "g^™^ 
If  he  be  of  God,  he  shall  be  brought  to  it:  therefore  for  God's  tlon- 
sake    make    restitution,   or   else    remember    God's   proverb ; 
"  There  is  nothing  so  secret,"  &c.     If  you  do  either  of  these 
two  in  this  world,  then  are  ye  of  God ;  if  not,  then  for  lack 
of  restitution,  ye  shall  have  eternal  damnation.      Ye  may  do 
it  by  means,  if  you  dare  not  do  it  yourselves  ;  bring  it  to  an- 
other, and  so  make  restitution.      If  ye  be  not  of  God's  flock, 
it  shall  be  brought  out  to  your  shame  and  damnation  at  the 
last  day  ;   when  all  evil  men's  sins  shall  be  laid  open  before 
us.      Yet  there  is  one  way,  how  all  our  sins  may  be  hidden,  JJ^e*w to 
which  is,    repent  and   amend.     Recipiscentia,  recipiscentia, 
repenting  and  amending  is  a  sure  remedy,  and  a  sure  way  to 
hide  all,  that  it  shall  not  come  out  to  our  shame  and  confusion. 
Yet  there  was  another  seed  that  Christ  was  sowing  in 
that  sermon  of  his ;  and  this  was  the  seed :  "  I  say  to  you, 
my  friends,  fear  not  him  that  killeth  the  body,  but  fear  him 
that  after  he  hath  killed,  hath  power  also  to  cast  into  hell- 
fire,"  &c.     And  there,  to  put  his  disciples  in  comfort  and  sure 
hope  of  his  help,   and   out  of  all  doubt  and  mistrust  of  his 
assistance,  he  bringeth  in  unto  them  the  example  of  the  spar- 
rows, how  they  are  fed  by  God's  mere  providence  and  good- 
ness ;  and  also  of  the  hairs  of  our  heads,  how  that  not  so 
much  as  one  hair  falleth  from  our  heads  without  him.    "  Fear 

[4  Sir  William  Sherington,  Vice-Treasurer  of  the  Mint  at  Bristol, 
had,  while  in  office,  coined  a  large  quantity  of  testers  of  base  alloy 
and  under  standard  value,  by  which  means  he  had  enriched  himself, 
but  defrauded  the  government  and  country.  Carte,  Hist,  of  Eng.  in. 
p.  229.] 


264 


LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE 


[' 


An  elbow 
chaplain. 


him,"  saith  he,  "that  when  he  hath  killed  the  body,  may  also 
cast  into  hell-fire."  Matter  for  all  lands  of  people  here,  but 
specially  for  kings.  And,  therefore,  here  is  another  suit  to 
your  Highness.  "  Fear  not  him  that  killeth  the  body." 
Fear  not  these  foreign  princes  and  foreign  powers.  God 
shall  make  you  strong  enough.  Stick  to  God  :  fear  God, 
fear  not  them.  God  hath  sent  you  many  storms  in  your 
youth;  but  forsake  not  God,  and  he  will  not  forsake  you. 
Peradvcnture  ye  shall  have  that  shall  move  you,  and  say 
unto  you,  "  Oh,  Sir  !  Oh,  such  a  one  is  a  great  man,  he  is  a 
mighty  prince,  a  king  of  great  power,  ye  cannot  be  without 
his  friendship,  agree  with  him  in  religion,  or  else  ye  shall 
have  him  your  enemy,"  &c.  Well,  fear  them  not,  but  cleave 
to  God,  and  he  shall  defend  you.  Do  not  as  king  Ahaz1  did, 
that  was  afraid  of  the  Assyrian  king,  and  for  fear  lest  he 
should  have  him  to  his  enemy,  was  content  to  forsake  God, 
and  to  agree  with  him  in  religion  and  worshipping  of  God : 
and  anon  sent  to  Urias  the  high  priest,  who  was  ready  at 
once  to  set  up  the  idolatry  of  the  Assyrian  king.  Do  not 
your  Highness  so  :  fear  not  the  best  of  them  all ;  but  fear  God. 
The  same  Urias  was  capellanus  ad  vnanmn,  "  a  chaplain  at 
hand,"  an  elbow  chaplain.  If  ye  will  turn,  ye  shall  have 
that  will  turn  with  you ;  yea,  even  in  their  white  rochets.  But 
follow  not  Ahaz.  Remember  the  hair,  how  it  falleth  not 
without  God's  providence.  Remember  the  sparrows,  how 
they  build  in  every  house,  and  God  provideth  for  them. 
"And  ye  are  much  more  precious  to  me,"  saith  Christ,  "  than 
sparrows  or  other  birds."  God  will  defend  you ;  that  before 
your  time  cometh,  ye  shall  not  die  nor  miscarry. 

On  a  time  when  Christ  was  going  to  Jerusalem,  his 
disciples  said  unto  him,  "  They  there  would  have  stoned 
thee,  and  wilt  thou  now  go  thither  again?"  What  saith 
he  again  to  them  ?  Nonne  duodecim  sunt  horce  die,  &c, 
"  Be  there  not  twelve  hours  in  the  day?"  saith  he:  God  hath 
appointed  his  times,  as  pleaseth  him ;  and  before  the  time 
cometh  that  God  hath  appointed,  they  shall  have  no  power 
against  you.  Therefore  stick  to  God  and  forsake  him  not ; 
but  fear  him,  and  fear  not  men.  And  beware  chiefly  of  two 
affections,  fear  and  love  :  fear,  as  Ahaz,  of  whom  I  have  told 
you,  that  for  fear  of  the  Assyrian  king  he  changed  his  religion, 
[l  Achab,  in  the  old  editions.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  265 

and  thereby  purchased  God's  high  indignation  to  him  and  to 
his  realm  ;  and  love,  as  Dina,  Jacob's  daughter,  who  caused 
a  change  of  religion  by  Sichem  and  Hemor,  who  were  con- 
tented for  lust  of  a  wife  to  the  destruction  and  spoiling  of  all 
the  whole  city.  Read  the  chronicles  of  England  and  France,  Rrad  chr,>. 
and  ye  shall  see  what  changes  of  religion  hath  come  by  mar-  mc 
riages,  and  for  marriages.  "  Marry  my  daughter,  and  be 
baptized,  and  so  forth,  or  else."  Fear  them  not.  Remember 
the  sparrows.  And  this  rule  should  all  estates  and  degrees 
of  men  follow ;  whereas  now  they  fear  men  and  not  God. 
If  there  be  a  judgment  between  a  great  man  and  a  poor 
man,  then  must  there  be  a  corruption  of  justice  for  fear. 
"  Oh,  he  is  a  great  man,  I  dare  not  displease  him."  Fie 
upon  thee  !  art  thou  a  judge,  and  wilt  be  afraid  to  give  right 
judgment  ?  Fear  him  not,  be  he  never  so  great  a  man ;  but 
uprightly  do  true  justice.  Likewise  some  pastors  go  from 
their  cure ;  they  are  afraid  of  the  plague,  they  dare  not  come 
nigh  any  sick  body,  but  hire  others ;  and  they  go  away  Hirelings, 
themselves.  Out  upon  thee !  The  wolf  cometh  upon  thy 
flock  to  devour  them,  and  when  they  have  most  need  of 
thee,  thou  runnest  away  from  them !  The  soldier  also,  that 
should  go  on  warfare,  he  will  draw  back  as  much  as  he  can. 
"  Oh,  I  shall  be  slain !  Oh,  such  and  such  went,  and  never 
came  home  again.  Such  men  went  the  last  year  into  Nor- 
folk, and  were  slain  there."  Thus  they  are  afraid  to  go: 
they  will  labour  to  tarry  at  home.  If  the  king  command 
thee  to  go,  thou  art  bound  to  go ;  and  serving  the  king  thou 
servest  God.  If  thou  serve  God,  he  will  not  shorten  thy  days 
to  thine  hurt.  "Well,"  saith  some,  "if  they  had  not  gone, 
they  had  lived  unto  this  day."  How  knowest  thou  that? 
Who  made  thee  so  privy  of  God's  counsel  ?  Follow  thou  thy 
vocation,  and  serve  the  king  when  he  calleth  thee.  In  serv- 
ing him  thou  shalt  serve  God ;  and  till  thy  time  come,  thou  Man  dieth 

°  .  .    .  not  before 

shalt  not  die.     It  was  marvel  that  Jonas  escaped  in  such  a  hi*  time- 
city  :  what  then  ?     Yet  God  preserved  him,  so  that  he  could 
not  perish.      Take  therefore  an  example  of  Jonas,  and  every 
man  follow  his  vocation,  not  fearing  men,  but  fearing  God. 

Another  seed  that  Christ  was  sowing  in  the  sermon  was 
this :  Qui  confesses  me  fuerit  hominibus,  confitebor  et  ego 
ilium  coram  Patre  meo  ;  "He  that  confesseth  me  before 
men,  I  shall  also  confess  him  before  my  Father."      We  must 


266  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

confess  him  with  mouth.  It  was  of  a  bishop  not  long  ago 
iikesaymg.  asked  as  touching  this  :  "  Laws,"  saith  he,  "  must  be  obeyed, 
and  civil  ordinance  I  will  follow  outwardly ;  but  my  heart 
in  religion  is  free  to  think  as  I  will."  So  said  Friar  Forest1, 
half  a  papist,  yea,  worse  than  a  whole  papist. 

Well,  another  seed  was,  "  He  that  sinneth  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this 
world  nor  in  the  world  to  come."  What  is  this  same  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  an  horrible  sin  that  never  shall 
be  forgiven,  neither  in  this  world  nor  in  the  world  to  come  ? 
What  is  this  sin  ?  Final  impenitency  :  and  some  say,  im- 
pugning of  the  truth.  One  came  to  me  once,  that  de- 
spaired because  of  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  was 
sore  troubled  in  his  conscience,  that  he  should  be  damned ; 
and  that  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to  be  saved,  because 
he  had  sinned  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  said  to  him, 
"  What,  man,"  quoth  I,  "  comfort  yourself  in  these  words 
comfort  of  the  apostle,  Christus  est  propitiatio  pro  peccatis  nostris: 
despair.  and  again ;  Ideo  me  misit  Pater  in  mundum,  ut  qui  credit 
in  me  non  pereat,  sed  habeat  vitam  ceternam ;  '  My  Father 
hath  for  this  purpose  sent  me  into  the  world,  that  he  which 
believeth  in  me  may  not  perish,  but  may  have  the  life  ever- 
lasting.'' Also,  Quacunque  hora  ingemuerit  peccator  salvus 
erit ;  '  In  what  hour  soever  the  sinner  shall  mourn  for  sin*, 
he  shall  be  saved1."  I  had  scriptures  enough  for  me,  as 
methought ;  but  say  what  I  could  say,  he  could  say  more 
against  himself,  than  I  could  say  at  that  time  to  do  him 
good  withal.  Where  some  say  that  the  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  original  sin;  I  alleged  against  that  the 
saying  of  St  Paul,  Sicut  per  unius  delictum,  &c,  and 
si  quis  egerit  pcenitentiam;  "  If  a  man  had  done  all  the  sins 
in  the  world,  and  have  true  repentance,  with  faith  and  hope 
in  God's  mercy,  he  shall  be  forgiven."  But  whatsoever  I 
said,  he  could  still  object  against  me,  and  avoid  my  reasons. 
I  was  fain  to  take  another  day,  and  did  so.  "  Let  me 
go  to  my  book,1''  quoth  I,   "and  go  you  to  your  prayers, 

[!  John  Forest,  a  Friar  Observant,  and  confessor  to  Queen  Katha- 
rine, the  first  wife  of  Henry  VIII.  He  was  executed  in  the  year 
1538,  for  writing  against  the  supremacy  of  the  crown.  Holinshed, 
p.  945 ;  Antiq.  of  the  English  Franciscans,  pp.  241,  et  scq.] 

[2  for  his  sin,  1562,  1571.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  267 

for  ye  are  not  altogether  without  faith."  I  got  me  to  my 
study ;  I  read  many  doctors,  but  none  could  content  me ; 
no  expositor  could  please  me,  nor  satisfy  my  mind  in  the 
matter.  And  it  is  with  me  as  it  was  with  a  scholar  of 
Cambridge,  who  being  demanded  of  his  tutor  how  he  under- 
stood his  lesson,  and  what  it  meant,  "  I  know,"  quoth  he, 
"  what  it  meaneth,  but  I  cannot  tell  it ;  I  cannot  express  it." 
So  I  understood  it  well  enough,  but  I  cannot  well  declare  it. 
Nevertheless  I  will  bungle  at  it  as  well  as  I  can. 

Now  to  tell  you,  by  the  way,  what  sin  it  was  that  he  had 
committed :  he  had  fallen  from  the  truth  known,  and  after- 
ward fell  to  mocking  and  scorning  of  it ;  and  this  sin  it  was 
that  h^  thought  to  be  unforo-iveable.      I  said  unto  him,  that  why  some 

~  o  sin  is  called 

it  was  a  vehement  manner  of  speaking  in  scripture ;  "  Yet,"  "remissible, 
quoth  I,  "  this  is  not  spoken  universally  ;  nor  it  is  not  meant 
that  God  doth  never  forgive  it ;  but  it  is  commonly  called 
irremissible,  unforgiveable,  because  that  God  doth  seldom 
forgive  it.  But  yet  there  is  no  sin  so  great  but  God  may 
forgive  it,  and  doth  forgive  it  to  the  repentant  heart,  though 
in  words  it  sound  that  it  shall  never  be  forgiven :  as,  privi- 
legium  paucorum  non  destruit  regulam  imiversalem,  The 
privilege  of  a  few  persons  doth  not  destroy  an  universal  rule 
or  saying  of  scripture.  For  the  scripture  saith,  Omnes  mo- 
riemur,  '  We  shall  die  every  one  of  us : '  yet  some  shall  be 
rapt  and  taken  alive,  as  St  Paul  saith ;  for  this  privilege  of 
a  few  doth  not  hurt  a  generality.  An  irremissible  sin,  an 
unexcusable  sin ;   yet  to  him  that  will  truly  repent,  it  is  for-  No  sin  that  is 

?     v  ti  x  repented  is 

giveable  ;  in  Christ  it  may  be  remitted.  If  there  be  no  more  irremissible. 
but  one  man  forgiven,  ye  may  be  that  same  one  man  that  shall 
be  forgiven:  Ubi  abundavit  delictum,  ibi  abundavit  et  gratia; 
'  Where  iniquity  hath  abounded,  there  shall  grace  abound'." 
Thus  by  little  and  little  this  man  came  to  a  settled  conscience 
again,  and  took  comfort  in  Christ's  mercy.  Therefore  despair 
not,  though  it  be  said  it  shall  never  be  forgiven.  Where 
Cain  said,  "  My  wickedness  is  so  great  that  God  cannot  for- 
give it ;"  Nay,  thou  liest,  saith  Austin  to  Cain,  Major  est  Dei 
misericordia,  quarn  iniquitas  tua ;  "  The  mercy  of  God  is 
greater  than  thine  iniquity.''1  Therefore  despair  not ;  but 
this  one  thing  I  say :  beware  of  this  sin  that  ye  fall  not 
into  it ;  for  I  have  known  no  more  but  this  one  man,  that  a  rare  cx- 
hath  fallen  from  the  truth,  and  hath  afterward  repented  and 


268  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED     REFORE  [SEEM. 

come  to  grace  again.  I  have  known  many  since  God  hath 
opened  mine  eyes  to  see  a  little ;  I  have  known  many,  I  say, 
that  knew  more  than  I,  and  some  whom  I  have  honoured, 
that  have  afterwards  fallen  from  the  truth ;  but  never  one  of 
them,  this  man  except,  that  have  returned  to  grace  and  to  the 
truth  again.  But  yet,  though  God  doth  very  seldom  forgive 
this  sin,  and  although  it  be  one  of  the  sins  that  God  doth 
hate  most  of  all  others,  and  such  as  is  almost  never  forgiven, 
yet  it  is  forgiveable  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  if  one  truly  re- 
pent ;  and  lo !  it  is  universal.  As  there  is  also  another  scrip- 
ture, Vce  terrce  cujus  rex  puer  est,  "  Wo  be  to  the  land,  to 
the  realm  whose  king  is  a  child ;"  which  some  interpret  and 
refer  to  childish  conditions  :  but  it  is  commonly  true  the 
other  way  too,  when  it  is  referred  to  the  age  and  years  of 
childhood.  For  where  the  king  is  within  age,  they  that  have 
governance  about  the  king  have  much  liberty  to  live  volup- 
tuously and  licentiously ;  and  not  to  be  in  fear  how  they 
govern,  as  they  would  be  if  the  king  were  of  full  age ;  and 
a  realm  may  then  commonly  they  govern  not  well.  But  yet  Josias  and 
verm, i  under  onc  or  two  more,  though  they  were  children,  yet  had  their 
realms  well  governed,  and  reigned  prosperously  ;  and  yet  the 
saying,  Vce  terrce  cujus  rex  puer  est,  is  nevertheless  true  for 
all  that.  And  this  I  gather  of  this  irremissiblo  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost,  that  the  scripture  saith  it  is  never  forgiven, 
because  it  is  seldom  forgiven.  For  indeed  I  think  that  there 
is  no  sin,  which  God  doth  so  seldom  nor  so  hardly  forgive, 
as  tliis  sin  of  falling  away  from  the  truth,  after  that  a  man 
The  best  per-  once  knoweth  it.      And  indeed  tins  took  best  place  with  the 

suasion  for  a  •          i   i  • 

desperate      man  that  I  have  told  you  of,  and  best  quieted  his  conscience. 

person.  . 

Another  seed  was  this :  "  Be  not  careful,"  saith  Christ, 
"  what  ye  shall  say  before  judge  and  magistrates,  when  ye 
are  brought  afore  them  for  my  name's  sake ;  for  the  Holy 
Ghost  shall  put  in  your  minds,  even  at  that  present1  hour, 
what  ye  shall  speak."  A  comfortable  saying,  and  a  goodly 
promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  "  the  adversaries  of  the 
truth,"  saith  he,  "  shall  not  be  able  to  resist  us."  What  ? 
shall  the  adversaries  of  the  truth  be  dumb  ?  Nay  ;  there  be 
no  greater  talkers,  nor  boasters,  and  facers2  than  they  be. 
But  they  shall  not  be  able  to  resist  the  truth  to  destroy  it. 

[i  at  the  present,  1562.] 

[2  Putters  on  of  a  bold  appearance.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  26f) 

Here  some  will  say,  "  What  needeth  universities  then, 
and  the  preservation  of  schools  ?  The  Holy  Ghost  will  give 
always  what  to  say."  Yea,  but  for  all  that  we  may  not  we  mav  not 
tempt  God ;  we  must  trust  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  we  must  emp 
not  presume  on  the  Holy  Ghost.  Here  now  should  I  speak 
of  universities,  and  for  preferring  of  schools:  but  he  that  preach- 
ed the  last  Sunday  spake  very  well  in  it,  and  substantially, 
and  like  one  that  knew  the  state  and  condition  of  the  univer- 
sities and  schools  very  well.  But  thus  much  I  say  unto  you, 
magistrates :  if  ye  will  not  maintain  schools  and  universities, 
ye  shall  have  a  brutality.  Therefore  now  a  suit  again  to 
your  Highness.  So  order  the  matter,  that  preaching  may  Another  ne- 
not  decay :  for  surely,  if  preaching  decay,  ignorance  and 
brutishness  will  enter  again.  Nor  give  the  preachers'  livings 
to  secular  men.  What  should  the  secular  men  do  with  the 
livings  of  preachers?  I  think  there  be  at  this  day  ten  thou- 
sand students  less  than  were  within  these  twenty  years,  and 
fewer  preachers  ;  and  that  is  the  cause  of  rebellion.  If  there 
were  good  bishops,  there  should  be  no  rebellion. 

I  am  now  almost  come  to  my  matter,  saving  one  saying 
of  Christ  which  was  another  seed :  Date,  et  dabitur  vobis ; 
"  Give,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you,"  &c.  But  who  be- 
lieveth  this?  If  men  believed  this  promise,  they  would  give  God's  pro 
more  than  they  do ;  and  at  leastwise  they  would  not  stick  to  believed, 
give  a  little :  but  now-a-days  men's  study  is  set  rather  to 
take  gifts,  and  to  get  of  other  men's  goods,  than  to  give  any 
of  their  own.  So  all  other  the  promises  are  mistrusted  and 
unbelieved.  For  if  the  rich  men  did  believe  this  promise  of 
God,  they  would  willingly  and  readily  give  a  little  to  have 
the  overplus.  So  where  Christ  saith  of  injuries,  or  offences 
and  trespasses,  Mihi  vindieta,  et  ego  retribuam,  fyc,  "Leave 
the  avenging  of  wrongs  alone  unto  me,  and  I  shall  pay  them 
home,"  &c. :  if  the  rebels  had  believed  this  promise,  they 
would  not  have  done  as  they  did.  So  all  the  promises  of 
God  are  mistrusted.  Noah  also  after  the  flood  feared  at 
every  rain  lest  the  world  should  be  drowned  and  destroyed 
again ;  till  God  gave  the  rainbow.  And  what  exercise  shall 
we  have  by  the  rainbow?    We  may  learn  by  the  rainbow,  The  rainbow 

\  m  «/  >«  '  may  teach  us. 

that  God  will  be  true  of  his  promises,  and  will  fulfil  his  pro- 
mises. For  God  sent  the  rainbow ;  and  four  thousand  years 
it  is,  and  more,  since  this  promise  was  made,  and  yet  God 


270  LAST    SERMON     PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

hath  been  true  of  his  promise  unto  this  day  :  so  that  now 
when  we  see  the  rainbow,  we  may  learn  that  God  is  true  of 
his  promise.  And  as  God  was  true  in  this  promise,  so  is  he 
and  will  be  in  all  the  rest.  But  the  covetous  man  doth  not 
believe  that  God  is  true  of  his  promise;  for  if  he  did,  he  would 
not  stick  to  give  of  his  goods  to  the  poor.  But  as  touching 
that  I  spake  afore,  when  we  see  the  rainbow,  and  see  in 
the  rainbow  that  that  is  like  water,  and  of  a  watery  colour, 
and  as  we  may  and  ought  not  only  to  take  thereof  hold  and 
comfort  of  God's  promise,  that  he  will  no  more  destroy  the 
world  with  water  for  sin ;  but  also  we  may  take  an  example 
what  the  to  fear  God,  who  in  such  wise  hateth  sin :  likewise  when  in 
teacheth.  the  rainbow  we  see  that  it  is  of  a  fiery  colour,  and  like  unto 
fire,  we  may  gather  an  example  of  the  end  of  the  world, 
that  except  we  amend,  the  world  shall  at  last  be  consumed 
with  fire  for  sin ;  and  to  fear  the  judgment  of  God,  after 
which  they  that  are  damned  shall  be  burned  in  hell-fire. 
These  were  the  seeds  that  Christ  was  sowing,  when  this 
covetous  man  came  unto  him. 

And  now  I  am  come  to  my  matter.  While  Christ  was 
thus  preaching,  this  covetous  fellow  would  not  tarry  till  all 
the  sermon  was  done,  but  interrupted  the  sermon ;  even  sud- 
denly chopping  in,  "  Master,"  quoth  he,  "  speak  to  my  bro- 
ther, that  he  may  divide  the  inheritance  with  me."  He  would 
not  abide  till  the  end  of  the  sermon ;  but  his  mind  was  on 
his  halfpenny ;  and  he  would  needs  have  his  matter  despatched 
out  of  hand.  "  Master,"  quoth  he,  "  let  my  brother  divide 
with  me."  Yet  this  Avas  a  good  fellow  :  he  could  be  con- 
tented with  part,  he  desired  not  to  have  all  together  alone 
to  himself,  but  could  be  content  with  a  division,  and  to  have 
his  part  of  the  inheritance.  And  what  was  the  inheritance  ? 
Ager ;  a  field :  so  that  it  was  but  one  piece  of  ground,  or  one 
farm.  This  covetous  man  could  be  content  with  the  half  of  one 
our  covetous  farm,  where  our  men  now-a-davs  cannot  be  satisfied  with  many 

men  love  no  „ 

divisions.  farms  at  once.  One  man  must  now  have  as  many  farms  as 
will  serve  many  men,  or  else  he  will  not  be  contented  nor 
satisfied.  They  will  jar  now-a-days  one  with  another,  except 
they  have  all.  "  Oh,"  saith  the  wise  man,  "  there  be  three 
things  wherein  my  soul  delighteth :  Concordia  fratrum, 
amor  proximorum,  et  vir  ac  mulier  bene  sibi  consentientes ; 
the  unity   of  brethren,  the  love  of  neighbours,  and  a  man 


XIV.]  KINO    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  271 

and  wife  agreeing  well  together."  So  that  the  concord  of 
brethren,  and  agreeing  of  brethren,  is  a  gay  thing.  What 
saith  Salomon  of  this  matter?  Frater  qui  adjuvatur  a  fratre 
quasi  civitas  firma  et  turris  fortis ;  "  The  brother  that  is 
holpen  of  his  brother,  is  a  sure  and  well-fenced  city,  and  a 
strong  tower,"  he  is  so  strong.  Oh,  it  is  a  great  matter, 
when  brethren  love  and  hold  well  together !  But  if  the  one 
go  about  to  pull  down  the  other,  then  are  they  weak  both  of 
them ;  and  when  one  puUeth  down  his  fellow,  they  must  needs 
down  both  of  them ;  there  is  no  stay  to  hold  them  up. 

Mark  in  the  chronicles  of  England.     Two  brethren  have  Tm^a^cm 
reigned  jointly  together,  the  one  on  this  side  Humber,  and  in  En«lan<i- 
the  other  beyond  Humber,  in  Scotland,  and  all  that  way. 
And  what  hath  come  of  it?     So  long  as  they  have  agreed 
well  together,  so  long  they  have  prospered ;  and  when  they 
have    jarred,    they   have    both   gone   to    wrack1.      Brethren 
that  have  so  reigned  here  in  England,  have  quarrelled  one 
with  another ;    and  the   younger   hath   not   been   contented 
with  his  portion2,  (as  indeed  the  younger  brother  commonly 
jarreth  first,)  but  by  the  contention  both  have  fared  the  worse. 
So  when  there  is  any  contention  between  brother  and  brother 
for  land,  commonly  they  are  both  undone  by  it.     And  that 
crafty  merchant,  whatever  he  be,  that  will  set  brother  against 
brother,  meaneth  to  destroy  them  both.      But  of  these  two 
brethren,    whether    this   man   here   were   the   elder   or   the 
younger,    I  cannot   say ;    scripture   telleth    me   not  whether 
of  these   two  was  the  younger :    but  a  likelihood  this  was 
the  younger ;  for  once  it  was  a  plain  law,  that  primogenitus, 
that  is  to  say,  the  elder  brother,  had  duplicia ;  and  there- 
fore of  likelihood  it  should  be   the   youngest  brother   that 
found  himself  aggrieved,  and  was  not  content.      But  Christ 
said  unto  him,  "  Thou  man,  who  hath  made  me  a  judge  or 
a  divider  between  you?"      Christ  answered  him  by  a  ques- 
tion ;  and  mark  this  question  of  Christ,   "  Thou  man,"   Quis 
me  constitute  judicem  aut  divisor  em  super  vos ;  "Who  made 

\}  The  allusion  seems  to  be  to  the  dissensions  between  the  king- 
doms of  Northumbria  and  Deira.  Carte,  Hist,  of  England,  i.  pp.  226, 
ct  set].] 

[2  The  wars  of  the  Roses,  and  the  usurpation  of  Richard  III., 
were  the  result  of  the  younger  not  being  "  contented  with  his  portion," 
as  was,  also,  the  execution  of  the  lord  admiral  Seymour.] 


272  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

The  intent  of  me  a  judge,"  &c.      It  is  no  small  matter,  saith  Augustine', 

a  i|iiestion  .         „  .  ,        ,  .  J?    . 

asked.  of  what  intention  one  asketh  a  question ;  as  Christ  in 
another  place  of  the  gospel  asketh  who  was  neighbour  to 
the  pilgrim  that  was  wounded.  "  There  was,"  saith  Christ, 
"a  man  that  went  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho,  and  fell  among 
thieves,  and  they  wounded  him,  and  left  him  for  dead.  And 
a  priest  came  by,  that  was  his  own  countryman,  and  let  him 
lie;  a  Levite  came  by,  and  would  shew  no  compassion  upon 
him :  at  last  a  Samaritan  came  by,  and  set  him  on  his 
horse,  and  conveyed  him  to  the  city,  and  provided  surgery 
for  him,  &c.  Now  who  was  neighbour  to  this  wounded 
man  ?"  saith  Christ.  Qui  fecit  Mi  misericordiam,  quoth  the 
lawyer ;  "He  that  shewed  mercy  unto  him.''1  He  that  did 
the  office  of  a  neighbour,  he  was  a  neighbour a.  As  ye 
may  perceive  by  a  more  familiar  example  of  the  bishop  of 
Exeter3  at  Sutton  in  Staffordshire.  Who  is  bishop  of 
Exeter?  Forsooth,  Master  Coverdale.  What,  do  not  all 
men  know  who  is  bishop  of  Exeter  ?  What  ?  He  hath  been 
bishop  '  many  years.  Well,  say  I,  Master  Coverdale  is 
bishop  of  Exeter :  Master  Coverdale  putteth  in  execution  the 
bishop's  office,  and  he  that  doth  the  office  of  the  bishop,  ho 
is  the  bishop  indeed :  therefore  say  I,  Master  Coverdale  is 
bishop  of  Exeter.     4 [Alack!  there  is  a  thing  that  maketh 

This  was  but  my  heart  sorry.  I  hear  that  Master  Coverdale  is  poisoned. 
Alack!  a  good  man,  a  godly  preacher,  an  honest  fatherly 
man ;  and,  if  it  be  true,  it  is  a  great  pity  and  a  lamentable 
case,  that  he  feeding  them  with  God's  word,  they  should  feed 
him  again  with  poison.] 

But  to  the  purpose  of  Christ's  question,  "  Who  made  me 
a  judge  between  you  ?"  Here  an  Anabaptist  will  say,  "  Ah  ! 
Christ  refused  the  office  of  a  judge ;  ergo  there  ought  to  be 

[!  In  Johan.  Evang.  c.  5,  Tract,  xix.  Oper.  Tom.  in.  Par.  3,  Col. 
319.    Edit.  Bened.  Antwerp,  1700.] 

[2  he  was  neighbour,  1562,  1571.] 

[3  John  Voysey  or  Harman,  who  lived  chiefly  at  Sutton-Coldfield 
in  Warwickshire,  leaving  the  episcopal  duties  of  the  diocese  of 
Exeter  to  be  discharged  by  the  well-known  Miles  Coverdale,  then 
bishop  Voysey's  coadjutor,  and  aftei-wards  his  successor  in  the  see 
of  Exeter.  Dugdale,  Antiq.  of  Warwicks.  Vol.  u.  pp.  913,  et  seq.  2nd 
Edit. ;  Strype,  Eccles.  Mem.  n.  i.  pp.  423,  et  seq.  Oxf.  Edit. ;  Godwin, 
De  Pra?sulib.  pp.  415,  et  seq.  Edit.  Richardson.] 

[4  Inserted  from  1562] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  273 

no  judges  nor  magistrates  among  christian  men.  If  it  had 
been  a  thing  lawful,  Christ  would  not  have  refused  to  do 
the  office  of  a  judge,  and  to  have  determined  the  variance 
between  these  two  brethren."  But  Christ  did  thereby  sig- 
nify that  he  was  not  sent  for  that  office;  but  if  thou  will 
have  a  trial  and  a  sentence  of  that  matter  according  to 
the  laws,  thou  must  go  to  the  temporal  judge  that  is  de- 
puted therefor.  But  Christ's  meaning  was,  that  he  was  come 
for  another  purpose ;  he  had  another  office  deputed  imto  him 
than  to  be  a  judge  in  temporal  matters.  Ego  veni  vocare 
peccatores  ad poenitentiam;  "I  am  come,"  saith  he,  "to  call 
sinners  to  repentance : "  he  was  come  to  preach  the  gospel, 
the  remission  of  sin,  and  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  meant 
not  thereby  to  disallow  the  office  of  temporal  magistrates. 
Nay,  if  Christ  had  meant  that  there  should  be  no  magis-  Anabaptists 
trates,  he  would  have  bid  him  take  all:  but  Christ  meant  sectal,v" 
nothing  so.  But  the  matter  is,  that  tins  covetous  man, 
this  brother,  took  his  mark  amiss ;  for  he  came  to  a  wrong 
man  to  seek  redress  of  his  matter.  For  Christ  did  not 
forbid  him  to  seek  his  remedy  at  the  magistrate's  hand ; 
but  Christ  refused  to  take  upon  him  the  office  that  was 
not  his  calling.  For  Christ  had  another  vocation  than  to 
be  a  judge  between  such  as  contended  about  matters  of  land. 
If  our  rebels  had  had  this  in  their  minds,  they  would  not 
have  been  then*  own  judges ;  but  they  woidd  have  sought 
the  redress  of  their  grief  at  the  hands  of  the  king,  and  his 
magistrates  under  him  appointed.  But  no  marvel  of  their  The  lack  of 
blindness  and  ignorance ;  for  the  bishops  are  out  of  their  thTca^ol 
dioceses  that  should  teach  them  this  gear.  But  this  man 
perchance  had  heard,  and  did  think  that  Christ  was  Messias, 
whose  reign  in  words  soundeth  a  corporal  and  a  temporal 
reign ;  which  should  do  justice  and  see  a  redress  in  all 
matters  of  worldly  controversy :  which  is  a  necessary  office 
in  a  christian  realm,  and  must  needs  be  put  in  execution 
for  ministering  of  justice.  And  therefore  I  require  you,  as  a 
suitor  rather  than  a  preacher,  look  to  your  office  yourself, 
and  lay  not  all  on  your  officers'  backs;  receive  the  bills 
of  supplication  yourself:  I  do  not  see  you  do  so  now-a-days 
as  ye  were  wont  to  do  the  last  year.  For  God's  sake 
look  unto  it,  and  see  to  the  ministering  of  justice  your 
own  self,  and  let  poor  suitors  have  answer.      There  is  a  king 

r  i  18 

[latimer.J 


274  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

The  king  of  in  Christendom,  and  it  is  the  king  of  Denmark1,  that  sitteth 
Denmar  .  0penjy  m  justice  thrice  in  the  week,  and  hath  doors  kept 
open  for  the  nones2.  I  have  heard  it  reported  of  one  that 
hath  been  there,  and  seen  the  proof  of  it  many  a  time 
and  oft :  and  the  last  justice  that  ever  he  saw  done  there, 
was  of  a  priest's  cause  that  had  had  his  glebe  land  taken 
from  him,  (and  now  here  in  England  some  go  about  to 
take  away  all ; )  but  this  priest  had  had  his  glebe  land 
taken  from  him  by  a  great  man.  Well ;  first  went  out 
letters  for  this  man  to  appear  at  a  day  :  process  went  out 
for  him  according  to  the  order  of  the  law,  and  charged  him 
by  virtue  of  those  letters  to  appear  afore  the  king  at  such 
a  day.  The  day  came :  the  king  sat  in  his  hall  ready  to 
minister  justice.  The  priest  was  there  present.  The  gentle- 
man, this  lord,  this  great  man,  was  called,  and  commanded  to 
make  his  appearance  according  to  the  writ  that  had  been 
directed  out  for  him.  And  the  lord  came,  and  was  there; 
but  he  appeared  not.  "No,"  quoth  the  king,  "was  he 
summoned  as  he  should  be?  Had  he  any  warning  to  be 
here  ?"  It  was  answered,  "  Yea ;  and  that  he  was  there 
walking  up  and  down  in  the  hall ;  and  that  he  knew  well 
enough  that  that  was  his  day;  and  also,  that  he  had  already 
been  called;  but  he  said,  he  would  not  come  before  the  king 
at  that  time :  alleging,  that  he  needed  not  as  yet  to  make 
an  answer,  because  he  had  had  but  one  summoning."  "No," 
quoth  the  king,  "is  he  here  present?"  "Yea,  forsooth, 
sir,"  said  the  priest.  The  king  commanded  him  to  be 
called,  and  to  come  before  him :  and  the  end  was  this, 
he  made  this  lord,  this  great  man,  to  restore  unto  the 
priest  not  only  the  glebe  land  which  he  had  taken  from 
the  priest,  but  also  the  rent  and  profit  thereof  for  so  long 
time  as  he  had  withholden  it  from  the  priest;  which  was 
eight  years  or  thereabout.  Saith  he,  "  When  you  can  shew 
better  evidence  than  the  priest  hath  done,  why  it  ought  to 
be  your  land,   then  he  shall  restore  it  to  you   again,   and 

[!  Christian  III.,  of  whom  it  was  said  that  "he  was  equally  the 
father  of  all  his  subjects,  and  of  his  own  family."  It  was  by  this  sove- 
reign that  the  Reformation  in  Denmark  was  finally  settled.  Universal 
Hist.  (Modern)  Vol.  xxxn.  p.  447,  edit.  1761.  Mosheim,  Eccl.  Hist, 
cent.  xvi.  ch.  n.  sect.  I.  §  32.] 

[2  Nones :  nonce,  purpose.] 


XIV.]  KING     EDWARD    THK    SIXTH.  275 

the  profits  thereof  that  he  shall  receive  in  the  mean  time : 
but  till  that  day  come,  I  charge  ye  that  ye  suffer  him 
peaceably  to  enjoy  that  is  his." 

This  is  a  noble  king ;  and  this  I  tell  for  your  example, 
that  ye  may  do  the  like.  Look  upon  the  matter  yourself. 
Poor  men  put  up  bills  every  day,  and  never  the  near.  Con- 
firm your  kingdom  in  judgment;  and  begin  doing  of  your 
own  office  yourself,  even  now  while  you  are  young,  and  sit 
once  or  twice  in  the  week  in  council  among  your  lords :  it 
shall  cause  things  to  have  good  success,  and  that  matters 
shall  not  be  lingered  forth  from  day  to  day.  It  is  good  for 
every  man  to  do  his  own  office,  and  to  see  that  well  executed 
and  discharged. 

Ozias  king  hi  Juda,  he  would  needs  do  the  office  of  the 
priest,  and  he  would  needs  offer  incense  in  the  sanctuary ; 
which  to  do  was  the  priest's  office.  But  he  was  suddenly 
stricken  with  the  leprosy  for  his  labour,  and  so  continued  a 
leper  all  the  days  of  Ins  life.  St  John's  disciples  would  have 
had  their  master  to  take  upon  him  that  he  was  Christ.  But 
what  said  John  ?  Nemo  sibi  assumit  quicquam  nisi  datum 
fuerit  ei  desuper ;  "  No  man  may  take  any  tiling  upon  him-  None  may 
self,  except  it  be  given  unto  him  from  above."  If  the  Devon-  other's  office. 
shire  men  had  well  considered  this,  they  had  not  provoked 
the  plagues  that  they  have  had  light  upon  them.  But  un- 
preaching  prelacy  hath  been  the  chiefest  cause  of  all  this 
hurly-burly  and  commotions.  But  if  Christ  may  challenge 
any  kind  of  men  for  taking  his  office  upon  them,  he  may  say 
to  the  mass-mongers,   "  Who  gave  you  commission  to  offer  Mass-mong- 

~  o  «/  ers  usurp 

up  Christ  ?  Who  gave  you  authority  to  take  mine  office  in  ^nst-s 
hand?"  For  it  is  only  Christ's  office  to  do  that.  It  is  a 
greater  matter3  to  offer  Christ.  If  Christ  had  offered  his 
body  at  the  last  supper,  then  should  we  so  do  too.  Who  is 
worthy  to  offer  up  Christ  ?  An  abominable  presumption  ! 
Paul  saith,  Accepit  panem  ;  postquam  gratias  egisset,  f regit, 
et  dixit,  Accipite,  edite ;  "  He  took  bread,  and  after  that  he 
had  given  thanks,  he  brake  it,  and  said,  Take  ye,  eat  ye," 
&c. :  and  so  said,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  "  This  is  my  body." 
He  gave  thanks  ?  Well  then  :  in  thanksgiving  there  is  no 
oblation ;  and  when  he  gave  thanks,  it  was  not  his  body. 

[3  great  matter,  1562,  1571  ] 

18—2 


276  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

When  I  was  in  examination1, 1  was  asked  many  questions, 
and  it  was  said  to  me,  What  Christ  did,  that  should  we  do : 
a  bishop  gathered  that  upon  these  words,  Hoc  facite  in  mei 
recordationem,  "  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me."  Then  said 
he'  to  me,  "  How  know  ye  that  they  ate  it,  before  he  said, 
Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  '  This  is  my  body  ?' "  I  answered 
again  and  said,  "How  know  ye  that  they  did  not  it?"  &c. 
So  I  brought  unto  him  the  place  of  Paul  abovesaid;  and 
that  in  thanksgiving  is  none  oblation ;  and  when  he  gave 
thanks  it  was  not  his  body,  for  he  gave  thanks  in  the  be- 
ginning of  supper,  before  they  eat  any  manner  of  tiring  at 
all ;  as  his  accustomed  manner  was  to  do.  I  wonder  there- 
fore, that  they  will  or  dare  by  this  text  take  upon  them  to 
offer  Christ's  body  :  they  should  rather  say,  Quis  me  con- 
stitute oblatorem,  "Who  made  me  an  offerer?"  But  when 
Christ  said,  Quis  me  constitute  judicem  aut  divisorem  super 
vos,  "  Who  hath  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  of  lands 
Christ  re-  among  you  ?"  Christ  did  refuse  another  man's  office ;  an 
SiScf  office  that  he  was  not  of  his  Father  deputed  unto.  Christ's 
kingdom  was  a  spiritual  kingdom,  and  his  office  was  a  spiritual 
office ;  and  he  was  a  spiritual  judge.  And  therefore,  when 
the  woman  taken  in  adultery  was  brought  before  him,  he 
refused  not  to  play  the  judge ;  but  said,  Quis  te  accusat, 
"Who  accuseth  thee?"  And  she  said  again,  Nemo,  Domine: 
"  No  man,  Lord."  Then  said  he,  Nee  ego  te  condemno, 
"  Nor  I  condemn  thee  not."  Vade  et  noli  amplius  peccare, 
"  Go  thy  ways,  and  sin  no  more."  Here  he  took  upon  him 
his  own  office,  and  did  his  office ;  for  his  office  was  to  preach, 
and  bid  sinners  amend  their  evil  living,  and  not  to  be  a  tem- 
Anothersuit  poral  judge  in  temporal  causes.    And  here  is  another  occasion 

to  the  kin.!,',      r  J       B  r 

of  a  suit  to  your  highness,  for  the  punishment  of  lechery ;  for 
lechery  floweth  in  England  like  a  flood. 

But  now  to  make  an  end  in  temporal  causes.  He  said, 
Quis  me  constitute  judicem,  $c.,  "  Who  made  me  a  judge  of 
temporal  causes  among  you,  and  of  worldly  matters?"  Thus 
came  this  fellow  in  here  with  interrupting  of  Christ's  sermon, 
and  received  the   answer  which  I  have  rehearsed.      "  Thou 

[J  The  preacher  seems  to  allude  to  his  examination  before  the 
Council,  14th  May,  1546.  State  Papers,  Hen.  VIII.  Vol.  i.  pp.  848, 
et  seq.     See  also  below,  p.  294.] 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  277 

man,  thou  fellow,"  quoth  he,  "  who  hath  made  me  a  judge 
among  you?"  And  he  said  unto  all  the  audience,  Videte 
et  cavete  ab  avaritia ;  "  See  and  beware  of  covetousness." 
Why  so  ?  Quia  non  in  abundantia  cujusquam  vita  ejus  est 
ex  his  qum  possidet ;  "  For  no  man's  life  standeth  in  the 
abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possesseth."  We  may  have 
things  necessary,  and  we  may  have  abundance  of  things ;  but 
the  abundance  doth  not  make  us  blessed.  It  is  no  good  ar- 
gument, Quo  plus  quisque  habet,  tanto  beatius  vivit ;  "  The 
more  riches  that  a  man  hath,  the  more  happily  and  the  more 
blissfully  he  liveth."  For  a  certain  great  man,  that  had  pur- 
chased much  lands,  a  thousand  marks  by  year,  or  I  wot  not 
what ;  a  great  portion  he  had :  and  so  on  the  way,  as  he 
was  in  his  journey  towards  London,  or  from  London,  he  fell 
sick  by  the  way ;  a  disease  took  him,  that  he  was  constrained 
to  he  upon  it.  And  so  being  in  his  bed,  the  disease  grew  a  terrible 
more  and  more  upon  him,  that  he  was,  by  his  friends  that 
were  about  him,  godly  advised  to  look  to  himself,  and  to 
make  him  ready  to  God ;  for  there  was  none  other  likelihood 
but  that  he  must  die  without  remedy.  He  cried  out,  "  What, 
shall  I  die  ? "  quoth  he.  "  Wounds !  sides  !  heart !  Shall  I 
die,  and  thus  go  from  my  goods?  Go,  fetch  me  some  phy- 
sician that  may  save  my  life.  Wounds  and  sides !  Shall  I 
thus  die?"  There  lay  he  still  in  his  bed  like  a  block,  with 
nothing  but,  "  AVounds  and  sides,  shall  I  die?"  Within  a 
very  little  while  he  died  indeed ;  and  then  lay  he  like  a  block 
indeed.  There  was  black  gowns,  torches,  tapers,  and  ring- 
ing of  bells ;  but  what  is  become  of  him,  God  knoweth,  and 
not  I. 

But  hereby  this  ye  may  perceive,  that  it  is  not  the 
abundance  of  riches  that  maketh  a  man  to  live  quietly  and 
blissfully.  But  the  quiet  life  is  in  a  mediocrity.  Mediocres 
optime  vivunt :  "They  that  are  in  a  mean  do  live  best."  And 
there  is  a  proverb  which  I  read  many  years  ago,  Dimidium  a  true  pro- 
plus  toto;  "  The  half  sometimes  more  than  the  whole."  The 
mean  life  is  the  best  life  and  the  most  quiet  life  of  all.  If  a 
man  should  fill  himself  up  to  the  throat,  he  should  not  find 
ease  in  it,  but  displeasure ;  and  with  the  one  half  he  might 
satisfy  his  greedy  appetite.  So  this  great  riches  never  maketh 
a  man's  life  quiet,  but  rather  troublous.  I  remember  here  a 
saying  of  Salomon,  and  his  example:  Conservavi  mihi  argen- 


278  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

turn  et  auram,  "  I  gathered  silver  and  gold  together,"  saith 
he ;  "  I  provided  me  singers,  and  women  which  could  play 
on  instruments,  to  make  men  mirth  and  pastime :  I  gat  me 
psalteries  and  songs  of  music,  &c,  and  thus  my  heart  rejoiced 
in  all  that  I  did."  But  what  was  the  end  of  all  this  ?  Cum 
convertissem  me  ad  omnia,  fyc,  "When  I  considered,"  saith 
Salomon,  "all  the  works  that  my  hands  had  wrought,  &c.,  lo! 
all  was  but  vanity  and  vexation  of  mind ;  and  nothing  of  any 
value  imder  the  sun."  Therefore  leave  covetousness ;  for, 
believe  me,  if  I  had  an  enemy,  the  first  thing  that  I  would 
wish  to  him  should  be,  that  he  might  have  abundance  of 
riches ;  for  so  I  am  sure  he  should  never  be  in  quiet.  But 
think  ye  there  be  not  many  that  would  be  so  hurt  ?  But  in 
this  place  of  the  gospel  Christ  spake  and  declared  this  un- 
quietness  and  uncertainty  of  great  riches  by  a  similitude 
and  parable  of  a  great  rich  man,  who  had  much  land,  that 
brought  forth  all  fruits  plentifully ;  and  he  being  in  a  pride 
of  the  matter,  and  much  unquiet  by  reason  that  he  had  so 
much,  said  to  himself,  "  What  shall  I  do,  because  I  have  not 
room  enough  wherein  to  bestow  my  fruits,  that  have  grown 
unto  me  of  my  lands ?  I  will  thus  do,"  saith  he ;  "I  will  pull 
down  my  barns,  and  build  greater  barns ;  and  I  will  say  to 
my  soul,  My  soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  in  store 
for  many  years ;  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry." 
But  God  said  to  him,  Stulte,  hac  nocte  animam  tuam  repe- 
tunt  abs  te:  "  Thou  fool !  thou  fool !  this  night  will  they  take 
thy  soul  from  thee  again,  and  then  whose  shall  those  things 
be  which  thou  hast  provided?  Even  so  it  is  with  him," 
saith  Christ,  "  that  gathereth  riches  unto  himself,  and  is  not 
rich  toward  God,""  &c.  But  yet  the  covetous  man  can  never 
be  content.  I  walked  one  day  with  a  gentleman  in  a  park, 
and  the  man  regarded  not  my  talk,  but  cast  his  head  and 
eye  this  and  that  way,  so  that  I  perceived  he  gave  no  great 
ear  to  me ;  Avhich  when  I  saw,  I  held  my  peace.  At  last, 
"Oh,"  quoth  the  gentleman,  "if  this  park  were  mine,  I  would 
never  desire  more  while  I  lived."  I  answered  and  said,  "  Sir, 
and  what  if  ye  had  this  park  too  ?"  For  there  was  another 
park  even  hard  by.  This  gentleman  laughed  at  the  matter. 
tmkmenin  -^nc*  truty  I  think  lie  was  diseased  with  the  dropsy :  the  more 
he  had,  the  more  covetous  he  was  to  have  still  more  and 
more.     This  was  a  farmer  that  had  a  farm  hard  by  it ;  and 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  279 

if  ho  might  have  had  this  park  to  it,  he  would  never  have 
desired  more.  This  was  a  farmer,  not  altogether  so  covetous 
a  man  as  there  be  many  now-a-days,  as  for  one  gentleman 
to  rake  up  all  the  farms  in  the  country  together  into  his  hands 
all  at  once. 

And  here  one  suit  more  to  your  highness :  there  lacketh  Lack  of 
one  thing  in  this  realm,  that  it  hath  need  of ;  for  God's  sake 
make  some  promoters1.  There  lack  promoters,  such  as  were 
in  king  Henry  the  Seventh's  days,  your  grandfather.  There 
lack  men  to  promote  the  king's  officers  when  they  do  amiss, 
and  to  promote  all  offenders.  I  think  there  is  great  need 
of  such  men  of  godly  discretion,  wisdom,  and  conscience,  to 
promote  transgressors,  as  rent-raisers,  oppressors  of  the  poor, 
extortioners,  bribers,  usurers.  I  hear  there  be  usurers  in 
England,  that  will  take  forty  in  the  hundred2 ;  but  I  hear 
of  no  promoters  to  put  them  up.  We  read  not,  this  covetous 
farmer  or  landed  man  of  the  gospel  bought  corn  in  the 
markets  to  lay  it  up  in  store,  and  then  sell  it  again.  But, 
and  if  it  please  your  highness,  I  hear  say  that  in  England 
we  have  landlords,  nay,  step-lords  I  might  say,  that  are 
become  graziers ;  and  burgesses  are  become  regraters :  and  Kegraters. 
some  farmers  will  regrate  and  buy  up  all  the  corn  that 
cometh  to  the  markets,  and  lay  it  up  in  store,  and  sell  it 
again  at  a  higher  price,  when  they  see  their  time.  I  heard 
a  merchantman  say,  that  he  had  travailed  all  the  days  of 
his  life  in  the  trade  of  merchandise,  and  had  gotten  three 
or  four  thousand  pounds  by  buying  and  selling ;  but  in  case 
he  might  be  licensed  or  suffered  so  to  do,  he  would  get  a 
thousand  pound  a  year  by  only  buying  and  selling  of  grain 
here  within  this  realm.  Yea,  and  (as  I  hear  say)  aldermen  Aldermen 
now-a-days  are  become  colliers :  they  be  both  woodmongers 
and  makers  of  coals.  I  would  wish  he  might  eat  nothing 
but  coals  for  awhile,  till  he  had  amended  it.  There  cannot 
a  poor  body  buy  a  sack  of  coals,  but  it  must  come  through 
their  hands.     But  this  rich  man  that  the   gospel  speaketh 

f1  A  species  of  informers  who  prosecuted  offenders  against  the 
laws,  and  received  part  of  the  pecuniary  fines  that  were  levied.] 

[2  By  the  37  Hen.  VIII.  c.  9.  no  person  was  allowed  to  receive 
more  than  "ten  in  the  hundred"  on  pain  of  forfeiting  treble  the 
profits  received,  with  imprisonment  and  a  "  fine  and  ransom  at  the 
king's  will  and  pleasure."] 


of  mind. 


280  LAST    SERMON    PREACHED    BEFORE  [sERM. 

of  was  a  covetous  man :  God  had  given  him  plenty,  but  that 
made  him  not  a  good  man :  it  is  another  tiling  that  maketh 
a  good  man.  God  saith,  Si  non  audieris  vocem  meam,  "  If 
thou  obey  not  my  voice,"  &c.  And  therefore  worldly  riches 
do  not  declare  the  favour  or  disfavour  of  God.  The  scrip- 
ture saith,  Nemo  scit  an  sit  amore  digitus  an  odio.  God 
hath  ordained  all  things  to  be  good ;  and  the  devil  laboureth 
to  turn  all  things  to  man's  evil.  God  giveth  men  plenty 
of  riches  to  exercise  their  faith  and  charity,  to  confirm  them 
that  be  good,  to  draw  them  that  be  naught,  and  to  bring 
The  devii  is    them  to  repentance ;    and  the   devil  worketh  altogether   to 

contrary  to  .       .    .  11  .  .  •    l       i 

God.  the  contrary.     And  it  is  an  old  proverb,  "  the  more  wicked, 

the  more  fortunate."     But  the  unquietness  of  this  covetous 

Riches  bring  rich  man  declareth  the  unquietness  of  the  mind,  that  riches 

unquietness  ,  ...  . 

bringeth  with  it.  First,  they  are  all  in  care  how  to  get 
riches ;  and  then  are  they  in  more  care  how  to  keep  it  still. 
Therefore  the  Apostle  saith,  Qui  volunt  ditescere  incidunt  in 
tentationes  varias ;  "  They  that  study  to  get  great  riches 
do  fall  into  many  divers  temptations."  But  the  root  of  all 
evil  is  covetousness.  "  What  shall  I  do  ?"  saith  this  rich 
man.  He  asked  his  own  brainless  head  what  he  should  do : 
he  did  not  ask  of  the  scripture ;  for  if  he  had  asked  of  the 
scripture,  it  would  have  told  him ;  it  would  have  said  unto 
him,  Frange  esurienti  panem  tuum,  &c. ;  "  Break  thy  bread 
unto  the  hungry."  All  the  affection  of  men  now-a-days  is 
in  building  gay  and  sumptuous  houses ;  it  is  in  setting  up 
and  pulling  down,  and  never  have  they  done  building.  But 
the  end  of  all  such  great  riches  and  covetousness  is  this : 
"  This  night,  thou  fool,  thy  soul  shall  be  taken  from  thee." 
It  is  to  be  understood  of  all  that  rise  up  from  little  to  much, 
as  this  rich  man  that  the  gospel  spake  of1.  I  do  not  despise 
riches,  but  I  wish  that  men  should  have  riches  as  Abraham 
had,  and  as  Joseph  had.  A  man  to  have  riches  to  help  his 
neighbour,  is  godly  riches.  The  worldly  riches  is  to  put 
all  his  trust  and  confidence  in  his  worldly  riches ;  that  he 
may  by  them  live  here  gallantly,  pleasantly  and  voluptuously. 
Is  tliis  godly  riches?  No,  no,  this  is  not  godly  riches.  It 
is  a  common  saying  now-a-days  among  many,  "  Oh  he  is 
a  rich  man :  he  is  well  worth  five  hundred  pounds."  He 
is  well  worth  five  hundred  pounds,  that  hath  given  five 
[l  spake  of  did,  1571.] 


Of  whom 

this  is 

spoken. 


XIV.]  KING    EDWARD    THE    SIXTH.  281 

hundred  pounds  to  the  poor ;  otherwise  it  is  none  of  his. 
Yea,  but  who  shall  have  this  five  hundred  pounds?  For 
whom  hast  thou  gotten  this  five  hundred  pounds?  What 
saith  Salomon  ?  Ecclesiastes  v.  Est  alia  infirmitas  pessima 
quam  vidi  sub  sole,  divitiod  conservator  in  malum  domini  sui: 
"Another  evil  (saith  he)  and  another  very  naughty  imper- 
fection, riches  hoarded  up  and  kept  together  to  the  owner's 
own  harm :"  for  many  times  such  riches  do  perish  and 
consume  away  miserably.  "  Such  a  one  shall  sometime 
have  a  son,"  said  he,  "  that  shall  be  a  very  beggar,  and 
live  all  in  extreme  penury."  0  goodly  riches,  that  one  man 
shall  get  it,  and  another  come  to  devour  it !  Therefore, 
Videte  et  cavete  ab  avaritia ;  "  See  and  beware  of  covet- 
ousness."  Believe  God's  words,  for  they  will  not  deceive 
you  nor  He.  "  Heaven  and  earth  shall  perish,  but  Verbum 
Domini  manet  in  aternum;  the  word  of  the  Lord  abideth, 
and  endureth  for  ever."  O  this  leavened  faith,  this  un- 
seasoned faith !  Beware  of  this  unseasoned  faith.  A  certain 
man  asked  me  this  question,  "  Didst  thou  ever  see  a  man 
live  long  that  had  great  riches?"  Therefore  saith  the  wise 
man,  "  If  God  send  thee  riches,  use  them."  If  God  send 
thee  abundance,  use  it  according  to  the  rule  of  God's  word ; 
and  study  to  be  rich  in  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ :  to  whom, 
with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  all  honour,  glory, 
and  praise,  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 


282  SERA10N    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD. 


A   SERMON   PREACHED  BY   M.  HUGH   LATIMER,   AT 
STAMFORD,   NOVEMBER1  9,  ANNO  1550. 


[MATTHEW  XXII.  21.] 

Reddite  ergo  quce  sunt  Ccesaris  Ccesari,  et  quce  sunt  Dei  Deo. 

Give  that  that  is  Csesar's  to  Caesar,  and  that  that  is  God's  to  God. 

This  doctrine  is  grievous,  heavy,  and  irksome  to  covetous 
hearts,  rebellious  and  seditious  hearts2.  Give,  give,  they  can- 
not away  with  it ;  it  cannot  stick  in  their  minds,  nor  settle 
in  their  stomachs:  they  would  rather  be  taking,  scraping,  and 
catching,  than  giving.  But  godly  persons  will  well  accept 
and  take  it ;  for  it  is  to  them  a  great  pleasure,  joy,  and 
comfort.  For  the  better  understanding  of  this  place,  ye  shall 
chnst  came  understand,  Christ  came  to  bring  us  out  of  bondage,  and  to 
I! .'m"ivi]"er  set  us  at  liberty,  not  from  civil  burthen,  as  from  obeying 
the  magistrates,  from  paying  tax  and  tribute ;  but  from  a 
greater  burthen,  and  a  more  grievouser  burthen,  the  burthen 
of  sin ;  the  burthen,  not  of  the  body,  but  of  the  soul ;  to 
make  us  free  from  it,  and  to  redeem  us  from  the  curse  and 
malediction  of  the  law  unto  the  honourable  state  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  But  as  for  the  civil  burthens,  he  delivered 
us  not  from  them,  but  rather  commanded  us  to  pay  them. 
"  Give,  give,"  saith  he,  "  to  Csesar  obedience,  tribute,  and  all 
tilings  due  to  Caesar." 

For  the  understanding  of  this  text,  it  shall  be  very  need- 
speciai  notes  fup  to  consider  the  circumstance  going  before :   which  thing 

tobeobserved  °        °  ° 

ter  duly  considered  giveth   a  great  light   to  all  places  of  the 


understand 
hit;  of  the 
scriptures. 


[!  All  the  old  editions  read,  "  October :"  but  this  is  evidently  a 
mistake.  The  "  Gospel  of  this  day,"  out  of  which  the  text  is  taken, 
is  the  Gospel  for  the  23d  Sunday  after  Trinity,  which  does  not  fall  on 
the  9th  of  October  in  any  year,  and  did  fall  on  the  9th  of  November 
in  1550.] 

[2  rebellious  and  seditious  hearts,  not  in  1584.] 

P  be  needful,  1562.] 


XV.]  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  283 

scripture.  Who  spake  these  words :  to  whom  they  were 
spoken :  upon  what  occasion ;  and  afore  whom  ?  Therefore 
I  will  take  the  whole  fragment  and  shred,  taken  out  of  God's 
book  for  the  Gospel  of  this  day ;  written  in  the  Gospel  of 
Matthew,  the  twenty-second  chapter :  Tunc  abierunt  Pha- 
risazi;  "Then  went  the  Pharisees,  and  took  a  counsel."  Luke 
hath  observantes,  marking,  spying,  looking,  tooting4,  watch- 
ing :  like  subtle,  crafty,  and  sleighty  fellows,  they  took  a 
counsel,  and  sent  to  him  their  disciples,  which  should  "feign 
themselves  just  men,"  godly  men,  glad  to  learn  his  doctrine ; 
and  with  them  Herod's  servants  to  trap  him  in  his  words : 
and  they  said  to  him,   "Master,  we  know  that  thou  art  a  A «"?% and 

«/  subtle 

true  man,  and  teachest  the  way  of  God  in  veritate,  truly,  question, 
and  carest  for  no  man :  for  thou  regardest  not  the  personage 
of  man.  Tell  us  therefore,  what  thinkest  thou  ?  Is  it  lawful 
to  give  Cffisar  tribute-money,  or  no  ?"  This  was  their  question 
that  they  would  have  snarled  him  with.  In  answering  him5 
to  this,  they  would  have  caught  him  by  the  foot.  But  Jesus, 
cognita  malitia  eorum,  knowing  their  malice,  their  wicked- 
ness, their  un charitableness,  said  to  them  :  "  Hypocrites,  why  Agodiy 
do  ye  tempt  me  ?  Shew  me  a  piece  of  the  tribute-money,  answer. 
And  they  brought  him  a  penny.  And  he  said  to  them, 
Whose  image  is  this,  and  the  writing?  They  answered, 
Ca?sar's.  He  said  to  them,  Give  to  Csesar,  that  that  be- 
longeth  to  Caesar,  and  to  God  that  that  is  God's."  Thus 
ye  may  perceive,  it  was  our  Saviour  Christ  that  spake  these 
words ;  and  they  were  spoken  unto  the  Pharisees  that  tempted 
him.  But  they  be  a  doctrine  unto  us,  that  are  Christ's  dis- 
ciples. For  whose  words  should  we  delight  to  hear  and  learn, 
but  the  words  and  doctrine  of  our  Saviour  Christ  ?  And  that 
I  may  at  this  time  so  declare  them,  as  may  be  for  God's 
glory,  your  edifying,  and  my  discharge,  I  pray  you  all  to 
help  me  with  your  prayers. 

In  the  which  prayer,  &c,  for  the  universal  church  of 
Christ  through  the  whole  world,  &c,  for  the  preservation  of 
our  sovereign  lord  king  Edward  the  Sixth,  sole  supreme 
Head,  under  God  and  Christ,  of  the  churches  of  England 
and  Ireland,  &c.     Secondly,  for  the  king's  most  honourable 

[4  %iy  Paying.] 

[5  in  answering,  1562.] 


2S4  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  [sERM- 

council.  Thirdly,  I  commend  unto  you  the  souls  departed 
this  life  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  that  ye  remember  to  give  laud, 
praise,  and  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  his  great  goodness 
and  mercy  shewed  unto  them  in  that  great  need  and  conflict 
against  the  devil  and  sin,  and  that  gave  them  at  the  hour  of 
death  faith  in  his  Son's  death  and  passion,  whereby  they 
might  conquer  and  overcome  and  get  the  victory.  Give 
thanks,  I  say,  for  this ;  adding  prayers  and  supplications  for 
yourselves,  that  it  may  please  God  to  give  you  the  like  faith 
and  grace  to  trust  only  unto  the  death  of  his  dear  Son,  as  he 
Thcdevii      o'ave  unto  them.     For  as  they  be  gone,  so  must  we :  and  the 

ready  to  &  J  a  ' 

Sour  of    ^evil  w^  k°  as  ready  to  tempt  us  as  he  was  them;  and  our 
death.  gms  wjjj   ^gjlt  as   ]ieaVy  Up0n   lls   as  theirs  did  upon  them; 

and  we  are  as  weak  and  unable  to  resist,  as  were  they. 
Pray  therefore  that  we  may  have  grace  to  die  in  the  same 
faith  of  Christ  as  they  did,  and  at  the  latter  day  be  raised 
with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  be  partakers  with 
Christ  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  For  this  and  grace  let  us 
say  the  Lord's  prayer. 

Tunc  abeuntes.  Tunc,  it  hangeth  on  a  text  before. 
Christ  told  them  a  similitude,  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  like  to  a  king  that  made  a  bridal  to  his  son :  he  married 
his  son,  and  sent  his  servants  out  to  bid  his  guests.  Well ; 
they  would  not  come,  although  he  had  made  great  preparing 
and  much  cost  for  them.  Ambition,  covetousness,  and  cruelty 
would  not  let  them  come.  Then  he  sent  his  warriors  and 
destroyed  them ;  and  again  and  again  sent  other  servants  to 
bid  guests  to  his  bridal,  hand  over  head,  come  who  would. 
They  did  his  bidding,  and  the  house  was  full  of  guests.  The 
king  now  would  view  his  guests,  and  finding  there  one  not 
clad  in  marrying1  garments,  he  asked  him:  "Friend,  how 
earnest  thou  here,  not  having  a  marriage-garment?  And 
commanded  to  bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and  cast  him  into 
utter  darkness :  there  was  wailing  and  grinding  of  teeth. 
For  many  be  called  and  few  be  chosen."  Now  Christ  ex- 
a, brief  sum  poundeth  this :  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  preaching  of  the 
gospel.  This  marriage  is  the  joining  of  Christ  and  his  church; 
which  was  begun  by  Christ  here  in  earth,  and  shall  continue 
to  the  end  of  the  world.     The  bidders  of  his  guests  are 

f1  marriage,  1584.] 


XV.]  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  285 

preachers  :  but  here  are  so  many  lets  and  hinderances. 
Covetousness  is  a  let ;  ambition  is  a  let ;  cruelty  is  the 
greatest  let.  For  they  beat  his  servants  ;  brake  their  heads ; 
yea,  murdered  them  which  bade  them  to  this  bridal.  With 
this  the  Icing  was  angry,  and  sent  his  men  of  war  to  destroy 
those  unthankful  people.  Was  he  not  angry  with  covetous- 
ness, and  with  ambition  ?     Yes,  he  is  angry  with  covetous  christ 

'  •  i  abhorreth 

men,   with   ambitious   men ;    but   most   of  all   with   cruelty.  ^t^ness> 

This  is  an  anger  above  common  anger,  when  men  be  not  crucuy.cia"y 

only   unthankful,    but    also    acid    cruelty,    to    persecute    the 

preachers  that  come  to  call  us  to  this  marriage.  This  toucheth 

God  so  nigh,  that  he  saith,  Qui  vos  audit  me  audit;  "  He 

that  heareth  you  heareth  me."     This  cruelty  the  king  would 

not  leave  unpunished,  but  sent  forth  his  men  of  war.     They 

are  called  his  men  of  war,  his  men ;  his  men,  for  wars  come 

at  his  commandment.     Titus  and  Vespasian  were  sent  of  God 

to  punish  those  covetous  Jews,  ambitious  Jews,  cruel  Jews, 

that  would  not  credit  Christ,  nor  believe  the  preaching  of 

salvation.     Now  in  war  what  part  soever  get  the  victory,  The  victory 

that  is  God's  part,  that  is  God's  host.    Nabuchadonoser  was 

an  evil  man,  a  wicked  man;  yet  was  he  sent  of  God  to  punish 

the  stubborn  and  covetous  Jews  for  their  ambition  and  cruelty, 

and  forsaking  God's   most  holy  word,   and  he   is  called  in 

scripture  "  God's  servant."     It  is    no    good  argument,  He 

hath  the  victory,   ergo  he   is  a  good  man.      But  this  is  a 

good  argument :  He  hath  the  victory,  ergo  God  was  on  his 

side,  and  by  him  punished  the  contrary  party. 

The  preachers  called  good  and  bad.      They  can  do  no  Preachers  are 

11         r*     *     •       i  -i  -i     •  •  /->i  themessen- 

more  but  call ;    God  is  he  that  must  bring  in ;   God  must  sers  to  can 

°  good  and  bad 

open  the  hearts,  as  it  is  m  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles :  when  tc°h^se  t0 
Paul  preached  to  the  women,  there  was  a  silk-woman,  cujus  banfiuet- 
cor  Deus  aperuit,  "  whose  heart  God  opened."     None  could 
open  it  but  God.     Paul  could  but  only  preach,   God  must 
work;   God   must   do   the   thing   inwardly.      But   good   and 
bad  came.     Therefore  the  preaching  is  likened  to  a  fisher's  The  simiii- 
net,  that  taketh  good  fish  and  bad,  and  draweth  all  to  the  net. 
shore.     In  the  whole  multitude  that  profess  the  gospel,  all 
be  not  good ;  all  cannot  away  with  the  mortifying  of  their 
flesh.    They  will  with  good  will  bear  the  name  of  Christians, 
of  gospellers ;  but  to  do  the  deeds  they  grudge,  they  repine, 
they  cannot  away  with  it.     Among  the  apostles  all  were  not 


286  SERMON     PREACHED     AT     STAMFORD.  [sERM. 

Divers  sorts    honest ;  nay,  one  was  a  devil.     So  among  so  great  a  number 
o  gospel  ers.  ^  gospellers,  some  are  card-gospellers ;   some  are   dice-gos- 
pellers ;  some  pot-gospellers.     All  are  not  good ;  all  seek  not 
amendment  of  life. 

Then   cometh   the   king   to  see  Ins  guests,    and  findeth 
The  marriage  one   not   having    the  marriage-garment,    and   saith   to    him, 

garments  . 

"  Friend,  how  earnest  thou  hither,  and  hast  not  the  marriage- 
garment?"  Faith  is  the  marriage-garment;  not  a  feigned 
faith  without  good  living,  but  "  faith  that  worketh  by  love." 
He  was  blamed  because  he  professed  one  thing,  and  was 
indeed  another.  Why  did  he  not  blame  the  preachers? 
There  was  no  fault  in  them,  they  did  their  duties :  they 
had  no  further  commandment  but  to  call  them  to  the  mar- 
riage. The  garment  he  should  have  provided  himself.  There- 
fore he  quarrelleth  not  with  the  preachers,  "  What  doth  this 
fellow  here  ?  Why  suffered  ye  him  to  enter,"  &c.  For  their 
commission  extended  no  further  but  only  to  call  him.  Many 
are  grieved  that  there  is  so  little  fruit  of  their  preaching. 
And  when  as  they  are  asked,  "  Why  do  you  not  preach, 
having  so  great  gifts  given  you  of  God?"  "  I  would  preach," 
say  they,  "but  I  see  so  little  fruit,  so  little  amendment  of  life, 
that  it  maketh  me  weary."  A  naughty  answer:  a  very  naughty 
,A  g°od,        answer.    Thou  art  troubled  with  that  God  gave  thee  no  charge 

lesson  for  °  _  ° 

preachers.  0f.  anc[  leavest  undone  that  thou  art  charged  with.  God 
commandeth  thee  to  preach :  and  si  non  locutus  fueris,  if 
thou  speak  not,  if  thou  warn  not  the  wicked,  that  they  turn 
and  amend,  they  shall  perish  in  their  iniquities ;  sanguinem 
autem  ejus  de  manu  tua  requiram.  This  text  nippeth ;  this 
pincheth ;  this  toucheth  the  quick :  "  He  shall  die  in  his 
wickedness,  but  I  will  require  his  blood  at  thy  hand."  Heark- 
en well  to  this,  mark  it  well,  ye  curates ;  "I  will  ask  his 
blood  at  thy  hand."  If  you  do  not  your  office,  if  ye  teach 
not  the  people,  and  warn  them  not,  you  shall  be  damned 
aCinn'e  f°r  ^-  If  you  do  your  office,  you  are  discharged ;  Tuam 
yourselves.  animam  liber  asti.  Warn  them,  therefore,  to  leave  their 
wickedness,  their  covetousness,  their  ambition,  their  cruelty, 
unmercifulness,  &c,  and  thou  hast  saved  thine  own  soul.  For 
there  was  no  quarrel  with  the  preachers ;  but  he  was  cast 
in  prison,  "where  was  weeping  and  wailing  and  grinding  of 
teeth:"  these  were  his  delicates.  Multi  simt  vocati;  "Many 
are  called,  but  few  are  chosen." 


XV.]  SERMON     PREACHED     AT    STAMFORD.  287 

To  this  parable  now  joineth  this  gospel.  Tunc  Phariscei 
abeuntes.  The  Pharisees  were  a  sect  of  religion  among  the 
Jews,  most  exquisite,  perfect,  holy,  and  learned,  and  were 
reputed  most  godly  men ;  even  such  as  in  holiness  excelled 
all  other,  as  our  monks  were  of  late  among  us,  and  be  yet 
in  other  places.  They  were  in  God's  bosom,  even  at  heaven- 
gates,  in  the  sight  of  the  world ;  but  inwardly  superstitious, 
feigned,  hollow-hearted,  dissimulers.  Now  at  this  time,  I  know 
none  more  like  them  than  the  hypocritical  hollow-hearted  pa- 
pists.   The  name  is  changed,  but  the  thing  remaineth.    There-  The  name  of 

f  O       '  o  papists  is 

fore  they  may  well  be  called  by  the  name  that  keep  the  thing.  {\^^l"l 
These  were  enemies  to  Christ  and  his  doctrine.   They  would  be  mam"trhstiii. 
ordered  by  old  wont,  customs,  forefathers ;  and,  to  maintain 
their  traditions,  set  aside  the  commandments  of  God,  refused 
Christ  and  his  word.    St  Luke  hath  observantes,  "observants,"  „Xe0f  friar" 


mon  spies 

were  the  bishop  of  Rome's  spies,  watching  in  every  country,  rea!m.ry 
what  was  said  or  done  against  him.     He  had  it  by  and  by, 
by  one  or  other  of  his  spies :  they  were  his  men  altogether, 
his  posts  to  work  against  the  regality.      In  the  court,  in  the 
noblemen's  houses,  at  every  merchant's  house,  those  Obser- 
vants   were    spying,    tooting,    and    looking,    watching    and 
prying,    what   they  might   hear   or   see   against   the  see  of  ■ 
Rome.      Take  heed  of  these  Observants.     To  understand  the 
word  observantes,  mark  what  the  poet  saith  in  his  comedy, 
Observa  Davum".      Take  heed,  beware  and  mark  Davum ;  Beware  of 
for  they  will  be  stirring  in  every  town,  in  every  gentleman's 
house,  yea,  at  their  very  tables.     Well,  be  wise,  beware  of 
them. 

Inierunt  consilium,  '*  They  took  a  counsel."  Some 
goodly  thing,  some  weighty  matter,  1  am  sure,  that  these 
holy   fathers    consulted    upon.     It    must    needs   be  for  the 

[x  A  schism  having  occurred  among  the  Franciscans  or  Grey- 
Friars,  they  were,  at  the  beginning  of  the  15th  century?  formally  divided 
into  two  sects,  the  Conventuals  and  Observants.  The  latter  pro- 
fessed to  return  to  the  rigorous  observance  of  the  letter  of  the  Rule 
of  their  Founder,  from  which  the  Conventuals,  under  papal  sanction, 
had  departed.  The  English  Franciscans  were  of  the  Observance. 
Antiquities  of  the  English  Franciscans,  by  A.  P[ulton]  pp.  193,  218, 
et  seq.] 

[2  Observes  filium.     Terence,  Andria  i.  i.  142.] 


28S  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  [sERM. 

commonwealth,  and  the  profit  of  many,  that  these  holy 
fathers  came  together  for.  It  was  "to  snarl  or  trap  him  in 
his  words."  This  was  their  device,  this  was  their  counsel. 
To  this  end  they  gather  such  a  company  of  holy  fathers.  "A 
council,  a  council :  Bonum  est  concilium,"  said  one.  "  Yea, 
marry,"  quoth  another,  "sed  bonorum."  "A  coimcil  is  good: 
a  council  of  yea,  sir,  if  it  be  of  good  men."  For  else  what  is  a  council,  if 
iRs°good!en  it  be  wicked,  of  wicked  men  ?  If  they  say,  "  This  was  done 
by  a  council,  determined  in  a  council ;"  what  is  it  the  better, 
if  the  council  be  wicked  ?  The  Nicene  council  was  gathered 
of  a  great  number  of  bishops  and  learned  men ;  yet  had 
not  one  man  been  there,  they  had  determined  contrary  to 
God's  word.     They  were  minded  and  earnestly  bent  to  make 


a  decree,  that  no  priest  should  marry;    but  one  old 


man 


and  unmarried  himself,  withstood  that  act,  and  turned  the 

council's  mind ;  so  that  they  meddled  not  with  that  decree. 

one  man.      And  why?     More  credence  is  to  be  given  to  one  man  having 

wonl'ofGod,  the  holy  word  of  God  for  him,  than  to  ten  thousand  without 

^■m''tV     the  word.      If  it  agree  with  God's  word,  it  is  to  be  received; 

whole  .  °.  .  . 

council.  if  it  agree  not,  it  is  not  to  be  received,  though  a  council, 
yea,  though  an  angel  from  heaven,  had  determined  it. 
Truth  it  is,  that  Christ  granteth  to  a  congregation  gathered 
in  his  name,  to  be  amongst  them ;  yea,  though  it  be  but 
two  or  three.  There  is  as  much  granted  to  two  or  three, 
as  to  ten  thousand,  so  they  come  in  Christ's  name  :  Ubi  duo 
vel  tres  congregati  sunt  in  nomine  meo,  ibi  sum  in  medio 
The  name  of  eorwm.  In  nomine  meo.  Much  wickedness  is  done,  in  no- 
'lnnicftfiiy  mine  Domini.  When  they  come  together  seeking  their  own 
iwpaey. y  ie  private  lust,  pleasures,  and  ambitious  desires,  it  is  not  in 
nomine  Domini,  "  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  But  to  seek 
God's  glory,  Christ's  glory,  Christ's  true  religion,  that  is 
in  nomine  Christi ;  and  then  they  are  to  be  heard.  But 
what  was  these  men's  counsel  ?  Ut  illaquearent  eum  in  ser- 
mone ;  "  to  snarl  or  tangle  him  in  his  words : "  tooters  and 
watchers,  to  catch  him  in  his  word,  that  they  might  enforce 
somewhat  against  him.  Non  est  consilium  adversus  Domi- 
num.  These  were  wily  pies,  sleighty  children,  children  of 
the  world,  and  craftily  they  handled  their  matters.  Miserunt 
discipidos  suos  cum  Herodianis.  They  would  not  go  them- 
selves, lest  they  might  have  been  known;  but  he  knew  not 
t1  Paphnutius.    Concilia,  Labb.  et  Cossart.  Tom.  n.  Col.  246,  247.] 


XV.]  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  289 

their  disciples,  as  they  thought.  And  they  went  not  alone, 
but  had  with  them  Herod's  soldiers,  Herod's  favourers. 
This  Herod  was  an  Idumean,  and  was  appointed  by  the 
Romans  to  govern  the  Jews,  and  to  gather  the  tribute- 
money.  Therefore  he  was  hated  among  the  Jews;  and  so 
were  those  that  favoured  the  Romans'  part,  and  in  disdain 
they  were  called  Herodians.  Now  was  the  time  come,  that 
the  holy  patriarch  prophesied,  that  the  sceptre  and  kingdom 
was  removed,  and  Christ  was  born.  This  they  should  have 
marked,  and  received  his  doctrine.  But  they  went  about 
to  destroy  liim,  and  therefore  they  brought  the  Herodians 
with  them.  Here  now  is  an  agreement  in  wickedness  between 
the  Pharisees  and  the  Herodians  against  the  truth :  against 
Christ,  against  God's  word  they  agree  together ;  whereas 
indeed  neither  loved  other,  but  hated  each  other  as  a  toad. 
So  many  now-a-days  of  our  Pharisees,  papists,  in  destroying  The  Jews, 
the  truth  they  agree  wondrous  well,  whereas  in  private  mat-  and  heathen, 

,  ,  ,  ,  agree  against 

ters  they  hate  one  another  as  a  toad.  Christ. 

Here  come  me  now  these  holy  fathers  from  their  council, 
and  send  their  disciples  with  the  Herodians:  mark  their 
behaviour,  and  mark  Christ's  behaviour.     They  come  lowting  Hypocrites 

■..,,  lii  ii  i  •     seem  lowly  to 

and  with  low  curtesy,  as  though  they  would  creep  mto  his  the  world, 
bosom.     As  for  Herod's  men,  they  meddle  not,  but  stand  by  m\ei\d.  <i>ost 

v  '  <J    mischief. 

to  hear  the  tale  as  witnesses;  and  if  he  should  speak  any 
thing  amiss,  be  ready  to  lay  hands  upon  him.  They  would 
fain  rid  him  and  destroy  him ;  but  they  would  turn  the  envy 
of  the  deed  upon  Herod,  so  that  they  would  be  seen  fault- 
less. It  had  been  more  meet  for  them  to  have  counselled 
how  to  amend  their  faults,  and  to  have  come  to  Christ 
to  learn  his  doctrine,  than  to  study  maliciously  to  trap  him 
and  to  destroy  him.  What  said  they  ?  Magister,  scimus  The  saiuta- 
quod  verax  es;  "Master,  we  know  thou  art  a  true  man,  hypocrites. 
and  teachest  the  way  of  God  truly.  Master,  we  know  that 
thou  art  Tom  Truth,  and  thou  tellest  the  very  truth,  and 
sparest  for  no  man.  Thou  art  plain  Tom  Truth."  Goodly 
words,  but  out  of  a  cankered  stomach  and  malicious  heart ! 
Smiling  speakers  creep  into  a  man's  bosom,  they  love  and 
all-to  love  him ;  they  favour  his  word,  and  call  him  master, 
and  yet  would  gladly  see  him  hanged !  These  are  indeed 
hypocrites,  one  in  heart,  and  another  in  mouth !  "We  know 
that  thou  art  a  true  man,  et  viam  Dei  in  veritate  doces !" 
r  n  19 

[LATIMER.] 


290  SERMON     PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  [sERM- 

Yea,  this  is  God's  way,  taught  truly !  There  is  God's  way, 
and  man's  way.  Many  teach  men's  way,  hut  that  should 
not  be.  We  should  learn  viam  Dei,  God's  way ;  and  that 
truly,  without  mixture,  temperature,  blanching,  powdering. 
Many  teach  God's  way,  and  shall  preach  a  very  good  and 
godly  sermon ;   but  at  the  last  they  will   have   a   blanched 

'i«rs'truthf  almond,  one  little  piece  of  popery  patched  in,  to  powder  their 
matter  with,  for  their  own  lucre  and  glory.  They  make 
a  mingling1  of  the  way  of  God  and  man's  way  together; 
a  mingle-mangle,  as  men  serve  pigs  in  my  country.  Christ 
did  not  so  :  he  taught  the  way  of  God  truly,  without  mixture, 
powdering,  or  blanching.  These  be  the  properties  of  all  true 
preachers,  that  these  confess  to  be  in  Christ.  It  was  true 
every  word  that  they  spake.  Christ  is  our  master  appointed 
of  God :  he  was  true,  and  taught  God's  way,  not  man's  way ; 
truly,  not  blanching  it  with  man's  doctrine.  So  should  Ave 
preachers  be  true  men ;  preachers  of  God's  way,  truly,  truly, 
without  regard  of  person :  that  is,  for  no  man's  pleasure 
corrupting  the  word,  or  mingle-mangle  the  word  with  man's 
invention  and  traditions. 

Here  may  patrons  of  benefices  learn  upon  what  manner 
of  a  man  they  should  bestow  their  benefice :  upon  a  true 
man,  a  teacher.  He  may  not  be  to  learn,  and  a  scholar, 
when  he  should  teach  others;  but  one  learned;  able  to  teach, 
able  and  well  willing  to  discharge  his  cure.      But  what  do 

Patrons  of     you,  patrons  ?      Sell  your  benefices,   or  give  them  to  your 

lit'iiftitt's. 

servants  for  their  service,  for  keeping  of  hounds  or  hawks, 
for  making  of  your  gardens.  These  patrons  regard  no  souls, 
neither  their  own  nor  other  men's.  What  care  they  for  souls, 
so  they  have  money,  though  they  perish,  though  they  go  to 
the  devil  ?  Whereas  indeed  the  office  of  a  patron  is  to  have 
a  care,  a  zeal,  a  vigilant  eye  for  souls'  health,  and  to  provide 
for  his  churches,  that  he  is  patron  of;  that  they  might  be 
taught  in  God's  word.  Truly,  many  now-a-days  strive  to  be 
patrons  of  benefices,  and  go  to  the  law  who  should  be  patron. 
pa!ronfZ  ^nd  wnat  strive  they  f°r>  think  ye?  Even  which  of  them 
shall  go  to  the  devil  first.  For  they  regard  not  soul-health, 
nor  the  office  of  preaching,  the  office  of  salvation;  whereas, 
indeed,  therefore  are  they  patrons,  to  look  to  it,  and  to  see  it 
be  provided  for.  God  of  Ins  goodness  and  almighty  power 
[x  mangling,  1584.] 


»tme 


XV.]  SERMON     PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  291 

might  ordain  other  ways  and  means  of  salvation ;  but  this 
office  of  preaching  is  it  that  God  hath  ordained,  as  St  Paul 
saith :  Cum  non  cognoverit  mundus  per  sapientiam  Deum, 
placitit  Deo  per  stultitiam  prcedicationis  salvos  facere  cre- 
dentes ;  "  Whereas  the  world  by  his  wisdom  knew  not  God, 
it  pleased  God  by  foolish  preaching  to  save"  credentes,  "those 
that  believe,"  per  stultitiam  praidicationis,  "  by  foolishness 
of  preaching,"  or  foolish  preaching,  it  maketh  no  matter. 
Not  that  it  was  foolish  indeed,  but  that  the  wise  men  of  the 
world  did  so  esteem  and  take  the  preaching  of  the  gospel : 
whereas  indeed  it  is  most  godly  wisdom,  and  the  preaching 
office  is  the  office  of  salvation,  and  the  only  means  that  God 
hath  appointed  to  salvation.  Credentes,  those  that  believe,  be 
saved  by  this  holy  office  of  preaching;.      I  would  wish  it  were  The  office  of 

J  "  .  salvation. 

better  looked  unto  and  provided  for,  and  that  patrons  and 
bishops  should  see  more  diligently  to  it,  than  hath  been  done 
afore-time.  I  would  ask  no  more  diligence  to  this  office  of 
salvation,  than  men  are  wont  to  bestow  upon  their  worldly 
pleasures,  and  lucre,  or  commodities.  Nay,  would  they  but 
bestow  half  the  labour  and  pains,  and  some  little  part  of  the 
expenses,  it  were  well.  To  consider  what  hath  been  plucked 
from  abbeys,  colleges,  and  chantries,  it  is  marvel  no  more 
to  be  bestowed  upon  this  holy  office  of  salvation.  It  may 
well  be  said  by  us,  that  the  Lord  complaineth  by  his  prophet, 
Domus  mea  deserta,  vos  festinatis  unusquisque  in  domum 
suam.  What  is  Christ's  house,  but  christian  souls  ?  But  who  christian 
maketh  any  provision  for  them  ?  Every  man  scrapeth  and  Christ's 
getteth  together  for  this  bodily  house,  but  the  soul-health  is 
neglected.  Schools  are  not  maintained ;  scholars  have  not 
exhibition ;  the  preaching  office  decay eth.  Men  provide  lands 
and  riches  for  their  children,  but  this  most  necessary  office 
they  for  the  most  part  neglect.  Very  few  there  be  that  help 
poor  scholars ;  that  set  their  children  to  school  to  learn  the 
word  of  God,  and  to  make  a  provision  for  the  age  to  come. 
This,  notwithstanding,  is  the  only  way  to  salvation.  God 
will  not  devise  any  new  way,  as  far  as  I  perceive,  but  would  God  win 
have  us  to  use  this  way  ordained  already.  This  preaching  way. 
way  we  ought  to  use,  and  not  to  look  for  any  new  way. 
This  office  of  salvation  we  ought  to  maintain,  and  not  look 
for  any  other.  My  request  is,  that  ye  would  bestow  as  much 
to  the  maintenance  of  this  necessary  office  of  salvation,  as  ye 
were  wont  to  bestow  in  times  past  upon  Romish  trifles,  and 

19—2 


292  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  [sERM. 

things   of  man's  traditions.     Neither   do   I   now  speak   for 
myself  and  my  convent,  as  the  begging  Friars  were  wont  to 
do.      I  have  enough,  I  thank  God,  and  I  need  not  to  beg. 
I  would  every  preacher  were  as  well   provided   as  myself, 
through  this  realm;  as  indeed  I  think  them  as  well  worthy 
Great  riches  as  myself.    I  wish,  I  say,  ye  would  bestow  as  much  upon  this 
bestowed,      necessary  office  of  salvation,  as  in  times  past  ye  bestowed  in 
pilgrimages,  in  images,  in  gilding,  painting,  in  masses,  diriges1, 
trentals,  chantries,  and  such  vain  things  of  the  Romish  Pha- 
risees' and   papists'  inventing.      Ye   would   do   that  without 
calling ;  and  to  this  will  you  not  be  ready  when  ye  be  called. 
If  it  be  no  better  in  time  to  come  than  hitherto  looked  unto, 
what  a        then  England  will  at  the  last  bewail  it.      Christ  knew  what  a 
hangethupon  charge  hangeth  upon  this  necessary  office  of  preaching,  the 

the  office  of  n         ?        •  ic  •     l     • 

preaching,  office  of  salvation,  and  therefore  most  earnestly  applied  it 
himself.  And  when  he  chose  his  twelve  apostles  to  send  them 
forth  unto  this  office,  he  first  prayed  all  the  night.  He,  being 
God  almighty  with  the  Father,  might  have  given  all  gifts  lit 
for  this  office  ;  but  to  teach  us,  he  would  first  pray  all  night. 
Here  is  good  matter  for  bishops  and  patrons  to  look  upon ; 
and  not  to  regard  so  little  whom  they  give  their  benefice 
unto,  or  whom  they  admit  to  cure  the  souls  they  have  charge 

Note  this,  ye  of.    A  notable  example:  Christ  prayed  all  night,  ere  he  would 

patrons.  x  r       «  .  . 

send  them  forth,  ere  he  would  put  them  in  this  preaching 
office,  tins  most  necessary  office  of  salvation.  For  he  saw 
that  they  had  need  of  great  zeal  to  God  and  to  souls'  health, 
that  should  take  upon  them  to  keep  souls,  and  a  bold  courage 
and  spirit,  that  should  rebuke  the  world  of  their  sin  and 
wickedness.  Many  will  choose  now  such  a  curate  for  their 
souls,  as  they  may  call  "  fool,"  rather  than  one  that  shall  re- 
buke their  covetousness,  ambition,  unmercifulness,  uncharitable- 
ness ;  that  shall  be  sober,  discreet,  apt  to  reprove  and  resist 
the  gainsayers  with  the  word  of  God. 
The  proper-  These  be  the  properties  of  every  good  preacher  :  to  be  a 

preacher!ood  true  man ;  to  teach,  not  dreams  nor  inventions  of  men,  but 
viam  Dei  in  veritate,  "  the  way  of  God  truly ; "  and  not  to 
regard  the  personage  of  man;  not  to  creep  into  his  bosom, 
to  claw  his  back ;  to  say  to  the  wicked  he  doth  well,  for 
filthy  lucre's  sake.  All,  these  flatterers !  no  greater  mischief 
in  the  commonwealth,  than  these  flatterers !     But  who  would 

[l   A  service  for  the  dead,  which  takes   its  name  from  Dirige, 
the  first  word  of  the  first  antiphon  of  the  office.] 


XV.]  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  29  o 

have  discerned  this,  but  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  ?    He  spied  Flatterers 

7  |  "•  to  be  ab- 

them  out,  and  knew  all  their  malicious  hearts,  their  un- horred- 
charitable  hearts,  their  dissembling  hearts,  and  said,  Quid 
me  tentatis,  hypocrites  ?  Hypocrites,  hypocrites,  hypocrites  !  Hypocrites. 
one  in  heart,  another  in  mouth ;  fan*  in  pretence,  but  full  of 
mischief  and  malicious  hatred  within ;  he  saw  what  was  within. 
Then  have  •  at  ye,  ye  hypocrites !  They  put  forth  their 
question,  Licet  censum  dare  Ccesari,  an  non?     A  perilous  a  subtle  and 

1  7  .  .  ,     captious 

question  to  answer  to !  This  was  the  fruit  of  their  counsel,  question. 
and  this  was  the  snare  laid  for  him.  What  should  he  do 
now  ?  Hold  his  peace  ?  That  had  been  a  slander  to  his  doc- 
trine. They  would  have  said,  "Lo,  how  ignorant  he  is  in  the 
law,  that  hath  no  answer  to  tins  simple  and  plain  question." 
If  he  affirm,  and  bid  pay  the  tribute,  he  shall  incur  the  hatred 
of  the  people,  and  seem  to  speak  in  favour  of  the  Romans. 
If  he  would  have  denied  it,  then  had  they  that  they  sought. 
The  Herodians  were  ready  to  lay  hands  upon  him,  to  have 
him  to  Bocardo.  "  To  prison  with  him,  a  traitor  that  speak- 
eth  against  Cassar  !     Away  with  this  seditious  fellow  !" 

0  Lord,  what  peril  is  it  to  have  to  do  with  these  hypo- 
crites !     Who  could  have  escaped  this  snare  but  Christ  only, 
winch  is  the  wisdom  of  the  Father,  and  knew  all  their  ma- 
liciousness and  crafty  sleights?    And  as  he  then  by  his  wisdom 
overcame  them,  so  now  doubtless  he  giveth  wisdom  to  all  his,  God  giveth 
to  spy  out  and  beware  of  their  subtle  crafts.    For  such  trains, 
traps,  snares  and  subtleties,  as  these  Pharisees  laid  for  Christ, 
such  have  our  pharisaical  papists  laid  for  Christ's  preachers. 
But  he  mercifully  ever  fulfilled  his  promise,  Dabo  os  et  sa- 
pientiam,  cui  non  possunt  resistere  omnes  adversarii  vestri : 
"  I  will,"  saith  Christ,  "  give  mouth  and  wisdom,  which  all 
your  adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  resist."     They  shall  not  papistsraii, 
be  tongue-tied,  they  have  their  answer :  yea,  so  wise  that  to  confute.6 
their  adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  resist.     They  may  well 
oppress  it  here  in  this  world  with  power,  but  they  camiot  be 
able  to  overcome  it  with  arguments  of  truth :  no,  all  the  pack 
of  adversaries,   with  all  then*   subtleties,   snares,   and  gins. 
They  may  rail  upon  it,  as  in  many  places  lewd  fellows  do 
against  priests'  marriages ;  "  that  dame,  his  wife,  his  whore, 
&c :"    but  they  cannot  deny  it  by  any  scripture,  but  that  ^f™fse  of 
the  marriage  of  priests  is  as  good  and  godly,  as  the  marriage  lod's'wOTd. 
of  any  other  man.      For  "  wedlock  is  honourable  among  all 
men,  and  the  wedded  bed  undefiled.    And  to  avoid  fornication, 


294  SERMON    PREACHED     AT    STAMFORD.  [sERM. 

let  every  man  have  his  own  wife."  Well,  let  them  rail;  let 
them  do  what  they  can  against  the  truth.  Respice  finem, 
"mark  the  end;"  look  upon  the  end.  The  end  is,  all  ad- 
versaries of  the  truth  must  be  confoimded  and  come  to  nought, 
neither  shall  they  be  able  to  resist  it.  And  though  the  poor 
disciples  be  troubled,  vexed  and  persecuted,  "  mark  the  end." 
The  highest  promotion  that  God  can  bring  his  unto  in  this 
life  is,  to  suffer  for  his  truth.  And  it  is  the  greatest  setting 
forth  of  his  word ;  it  is  God's  seed.  And  one  suffering  for 
the  truth  turneth  more  than  a  thousand  sermons. 
Latimer,  how         I  will  tell  vou  an  example  of  this,  how  God  giveth  mouth 

he  was  perse-  .    _  "  .  .  a 

cuted.  and  wisdom.      1  was  once  in  exannnation  before  five  or  six 

bishops,  where  I  had  much  turmoiling.  Every  week  thrice 
I  came  to  examinations,  and  many  snares  and  traps  were 
laid  to  get  something.  Now  God  knoweth  I  was  ignorant  of 
the  law  ;  but  that  God  gave  me  answer  and  wisdom  what  I 
should  speak.  It  was  God  indeed,  for  else  I  had  never 
escaped  them.     At  the  last  I  was  brought  forth  to  be  exa- 

The  subtle     mined  into  a  chamber  hanged  with  arras,  where  I  was  before 

manner  used  °  ... 

in  the  exami-  wont  to  be  examined,  but  now  at  this  tune  the  chamber  was 

nation  of 

Latimer.  somewhat  altered  :  for  whereas  before  there  was  wont  ever 
to  be  a  fire  hi  the  chimney,  now  the  fire  was  taken  away, 
and  an  arras  hanging  hanged  over  the  chimney,  and  the  table 
stood  near  the  chimney's  end ;  so  that  I  stood  between  the 
table  and  the  chimney's  end.  There  was  among  these 
bishops  that  examined  me,  one  with  whom  I  have  been  very 
familiar,  and  took  him  for  my  great  friend,  an  aged  man, 
and  he  sat  next  the  table  end.      Then  among  all  other  ques- 

a  subtle  tions,  he  put  forth  one,  ._  a  very  subtle  and  crafty  one  ;  and 
such  one  indeed  as  I  could  not  think  so  great  danger  in. 
And  when  I  should  make  answer ;  "  I  pray  you,  Master 
Latimer,"  said  he,  "  speak  out ;  I  am  very  thick  of  hearing, 
and  here  be  many  that  sit  far  off."  I  marvelled  at  this,  that 
I  was  bidden  speak  out,  and  began  to  misdeem,  and  gave  an 
ear  to  the  chimney.  And,  Sir,  there  I  heard  a  pen  walking 
in  the  chimney  behind  the  cloth.  They  had  appointed  one 
there  to  write  all  mine  answers :  for  they  made  sure  work 
that  I  should  not  start  from  them  ;  there  was  no  starting 
from  them.  God  was  my  good  Lord,  and  gave  me  answer : 
I  could  never  else  have  escaped  it.  The  question  was  this : 
"  Master  Latimer,  do  you  not  think  on  your  conscience,  that 
you  have  been  suspected  of  heresy  ?"  A  subtle  question,  a 


question. 


XV.]  SERMON     PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  295 

very  subtle  question.  There  was  no  holding  of  peace  would 
serve.  To  hold  my  peace  had  been  to  grant  myself  faulty. 
To  answer  it  was  every  way  full  of  danger.  But  God,  which 
alway  hath  given  me  answer,  helped  me,  or  else  I  could 
never  have  escaped  it ;  and  delivered  me  from  their  hands. 
Many  one  have  had  the  like  gracious  deliverance,  and  been 
endued  with  God's  wisdom  and  God's  Spirit,  which  all  their 
adversaries  could  not  be  able  to  resist. 

Ostendite  mihi  numisma  census :  "  Shew  me,"  said  he, 
"  a  penny  of  the  tribute  money."  They  laid  snares  to  de- 
stroy him,  but  he  overturneth  them  in  their  own  traps :  qui 
comprehendit  astutos  in  fallacia  eorum ;  "  He  taketh  the 
cr.ifn  in  their  own  subtle  gins  and  snares :"  but  not  mali- 
ciously to  destroy  them,  as  they  maliciously  would  have  seen 
him  hanged ;  but  mercifully  to  turn  them  from  their  wicked 
imaginations,  that  they  might  consider  that  "  no  wisdom,  no 
subtle  crafts,  nor  counsel  is  against  the  Lord,"  and  so  repent 
and  become  new  men.  At  illi  obtulerunt  Mi  denarium ; 
"  And  they  brought  him  a  denary,"  a  piece  of  their  current 
coin,  that  was  worth  ten  of  our  usual  pence  :  such  another 
piece  as  our  testoon.  And  he  said,  Cujus  est  imago  hcec  et 
superscript™  ?  Dicunt  ei,  Ccesaris :  "  Whose  image  is  this, 
and  superscription  ?  They  said,  Caesar's  :"  for  now  was  Jewry 
brought  under  the  bondage  of  the  Romans,  and  therefore 
used  they  the  Roman  coin,  and  had  upon  it  both  Caesar's 
image,  and  Caesar's  superscription.  Then  answered  Jesus, 
Reddite  ergo  quce  sunt  Ccesaris  Ccesari,  et  qua3  sunt  Dei 
Deo ;  "  Pay  to  Csesar  that  is  due  to  Caesar,  and  to  God  that 
which  is  due  to  God."      Make  not  a  mine'le-mangle  of  them;  Give «»ch hi! 

~  ~  '  own. 

but  give  to  God  his  own,  give  to  Caesar  his  own.  To  God  give 
thy  soul,  thy  faith,  thy  hope,  thy  obedient  mind,  to  keep  his 
word,  and  frame  thy  life  thereafter:  to  Caesar  give  tribute, 
tax,  subsidy,  and  all  other  duties  pertaining  to  him ;  as  to 
have  Mm  in  thy  honour  and  reverence,  and  to  obey  his  just 
laws  and  righteous  commandments,  &c. 

But  because  the  time  is  past,  I  will  here  make  an  end 
for  this  forenoon ;  desiring  you  to  pray  to  God  for  his  help : 
for  at  afternoon  I  purpose  to  begin  again  at  this  text,  and 
to  go  forth  as  God  shall  give  mo  his  grace.  Now  let  us  all 
say  together  the  Lord's  prayer.  "  Our  Father  which  art  in 
heaven,"  &c. 


296  SERMON     PREACHED     AT    STAMFORD.  [sERM. 


THE  RESIDUE  OF  THE  GOSPEL,  DECLARED  IN  THE 
AFTERNOON,  BY  M.  LATIMER. 


They  answer 
their  own 
question. 


LMATTHEW  XXII.  21.] 

Reddite  Ccesari  qua  sunt  Ccesaris,  et  quce  sunt  Dei  Deo. 
Yield  to  Caesar  that  belongeth  to  Caesar,  and  to  God  that  belongeth  to  God. 

Ye  may  perceive  by  that  we  have  said,  who  spake  these 
words,  and  upon  what  occasion  they  were  spoken.  Our  Sa- 
viour Christ  spake  them  to  the  tempting  Pharisees,  to  ;he 
crafty  and  subtle  hollow-hearted  Pharisees ;  willing  them  to 
know  their  duty  by  their  own  confession,  and  to  give  to 
Caesar  his  duty,  and  to  God  his  duty.  Our  Saviour  Clirist 
spake  them.  If  he  spake  them,  we  ought  to  regard  tliem. 
Regard  them,  I  say,  and  make  much  of  them  ;  for  though 
they  were  then  spoken  to  them,  yet  in  them  they  were 
spoken  to  all  the  world.  I  use  to  make  a  rehearsal  of  that  I 
spake  before,  but  because  the  time  is  short,  I  will  omit  it. 
The  service  must  be  done,  and  the  day  goeth  fast  away. 
Therefore  I  will  to  my  matter,  and  leave  the  rehearsal. 

These  words  be  words  of  great  importance,  and  would 
well  be  considered :  for  he  that  doth  this,  receiveth  great 
benefits  by  it ;  but  he  that  doth  it  not,  incurreth  great  damage 
and  danger.  The  occasion  was  a  counsel  taken  among  these 
holy  fathers  to  snarl  Christ.  A  good  and  charitable  deed  ! 
Yet  were  they  holy  men,  holy  fathers,  full  of  charity  up  to 
the  hard  ears.  This  they  learned  in  their  council ;  and  this 
now  they  set  on  broach.  But  Christ  now  causeth  them  to 
make  answer  to  their  own  question,  as  he  did  also  a  little 
before.  When  he  was  come  up  into  Jerusalem,  and  had 
driven  out  the  buyers  and  sellers  in  the  temple ;  the  arch- 
Pharisees,  Provincials1,  and  Abbots-Pharisees,  came  stoutly  to 
him  as  he  was  preaching  in  the  temple,  and  said  to  him,  Qua 

[l  A  provincial  is  the  chief  of  all  the  religious  of  his  particular 
order  within  a  given  province.] 


XVI.]  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  297 

auctoritate  ista  facts  ?  Aut  quis  dedit  tibi  istam  auctorita-  christ-s 

**  **•  .  authority 

tern ?  "By  what  authority  dost  thou  these  things  ?  Who  g^f™"1 
hath  given  thee  tliis  authority  ?  We  have  the  rule  of  the  Father- 
people  of  God,  we  have  given  thee  no  such  authority."  A 
wondrous  thing  !  Christ  had  testimony  of  his  Father  :  "  This 
is  my  heloved  Son,  hear  him."  John  had  borne  him  wit- 
ness, saying,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  world."  His  works  and  miracles  were  testi- 
monies that  his  doctrine  was  of  God.  Well,  all  this  would2 
not  serve.  He  must  have  license  of  these  holy  fathers,  or 
else  all  is  nothing  worth.  Christ  answered  not  directly  to 
their  question,  but  asked  them  another  question,  and  made 
them  give  answer  against  themselves ;  and  as  it  were  with 
one  wedge  drived  out  another.  "  The  baptism  of  John,  was 
it  of  God,  or  of  man  ?  Was  John  sent  of  God  ?  Had  he  his 
authority  of  God  or  of  man  ?"  Here  he  driveth  them  to  con- 
fess his  doctrine  to  be  of  God.  For  John,  whom  they  could 
not  deny  to  have  been  sent  from  God,  bare  witness  that  his 
doctrine  was  true.  If  they  had  confessed  this,  he  would 
have  inferred,  "Why  believe  ye  him  not?"  If  they  should 
have  said,  "  John  was  not  of  God,"  then  would  all  the  people 
have  been  against  them  ;  yea,  in  a  hurly-burly  have  stoned 
them.  This  they  considered  within  themselves,  and  yet  their 
malicious  hearts  would  not  bear  it  to  confess  the  truth :  nay, 
rather,  like  wise  gentlemen,  they  answered,  "  We  know  not :  The  Phari- 
we  cannot  tell."  These  arch-Pharisees  thought  nothing  might  ignorance. 
be  done  or  taught  without  their  license,  nor  otherwise  but 
as  they  pleased  to  interpret.  They  were  like  our  religion 
and  clergy,  that  thought  nothing  might  be  taught  but  as 
they  pleased.  They  would  pay  no  tribute,  tax,  nor  tribute. 
They  had  their  immunities,  privileges,  and  grants,  from  the 
Roman  bishop.  And  to  maintain  this  they  alleged  many 
scriptures,  as  thus,  Nolite  tangere  Christos  meos ;  which  is, 
"  Touch  not  mine  anointed  or  consecrated  people."  Which 
words  the  Lord  spake  by  the  Israelites  in  Egypt,  warning 
king  Pharao  to  leave  and  cease  from  persecuting  the  Israel- 
ites :  and  it  maketh  as  much  for  our  clergy's  immunity  and 
proveth  it  as  well,  as  if  a  man  alleged,  Quern  terra, 
to  prove  that  an  ape  hath  a  tail. 

[2  will,  1562.] 


298 


SERMON     PREACHED     AT     .STAMFORD. 


Sin  is  the 

heaviest 
burden. 


Well,  they  answered,  Caisaris,  "  Caesar's."  They  con- 
fessed it  was  Caesar's  money,  and  Caesar's  image  and  writing 
upon  it.  Here  Christ  compelled  them  to  make  answer  unto 
their  own  question ;  and  if  envy  should  arise,  to  take  it 
themselves:  for  they  confessed  it  to  be  Caesar's.  Then 
said  he,  ';  Give  to  Caesar  that  which  is  Caesar's,  and  to  God 
that  is  due  to  God."  This  answer  of  Christ  I  would  have 
you  all  to  learn.  Give  to  your  Caesar,  to  your  king,  to 
our  most  noble  king  Edward,  our  Caesar,  our  king  and 
magistrate  appointed  and  given  to  us  of  God, — give  to  him 
that  which  is  due  to  him.  This  is  a  commandment  of  God, 
as  are  these,  "  Thou  shalt  not  murder :  Thou  shalt  not 
steal,  nor  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbours."  And 
as  thou  art  bound  upon  peril  of  thy  soul  to  obey  the  other ; 
so  upon  peril  of  thy  soul  thou  art  bound  to  obey  and  keep 
this.  Look  well  upon  it,  for  it  is  upon  peril  of  thy  soul. 
Date,  "  Give,  give ;"  a  heavy  word  to  a  covetous  heart,  to  a 
rebellious  heart.  They  would  nor  hear  reddite,  or  date, 
"  pay,  or  give ;"  but  "  take,  catch,  keep  fast."  We  are  all 
bound  to  live  in  obedience  unto  our  king,  under  his  just  and 
rightwise  laws  and  commandments.  Christ  came,  indeed,  to 
deliver  us  from  burthens  and  bondage,  but  that  was  not  from 
civil  and  politic  laws  and  obedience.  He  came  to  deliver 
us  from  the  greatest  bondage  that  can  be,  from  sin  and 
damnation.  The  heaviest  burthen  that  can  be  is  sin ;  and 
in  comparison  of  it,  all  other  burthens  are  but  light  and  easy 
matters  to  bear.  Therefore  Christ  came  to  deliver  us  from 
that,  and  gave  his  body  to  be  torn  upon  the  cross  for  that. 
Neither  could  any  work,  or  law,  or  sacrifice  redeem  us  from 
that,  but  Christ  only.  I  never  preached  in  Lincolnshire 
afore,  nor  came  here  afore,  save  once  when  I  went  to  take 
orders  at  Lincoln,  which  was  a  good  while  ago ;  therefore 
I  cannot  say  much  of  Lincolnshire,  for  I  know  it  not.  But 
I  dare  say,  if  Lincolnshire  be  as  other  places  that  I  know, 
this  text  condemneth  a  great  many  of  Lincolnshire,  and 
driveth  them  down  to  hell  for  breaking  of  this  command- 
ment, "  Give  to  Caesar  that  which  is  due  to  Caesar,  and  to 
God  that  which  is  due  to  God." 

The  office  of  a  magistrate  is  grounded  upon  God's  word, 
and  is  plainly  described  of  St  Paul,  writing  unto  the  Romans, 


XVI.]  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  299 

where  he  shewcth,   that  all  souls,   that  is  to  say,   all  men 
ought  to  obey '  magistrates,  for  thoy  are  ordained  of  God ;  ah  magis- 

O  JO  •  vn      -i  -ri  7         •     trates  are 

and  to  resist  them  is  to  resist  against  God.  "  For  he  is  ™£»»,ed  of 
God's  minister,  ordained  to  punish  the  wicked,  and  maintain 
the  good."  Wherefore  we  ought  to  pay  to  him  tribute, 
custom,  taxes,  and  other  things  that  he  requireth  upon  us, 
as  Christ  saith  here,  Reddite,  "  give  to  Caesar."  How  much 
we  should  give,  he  defineth  not,  but  leaveth  it  to  Csesar's 
officers  to  determine,  and  to  his  council  to  appoint.  Christ 
was  not  the  emperor's  treasurer :  therefore  he  meddled  not  Christ 
with  that  point,  but  left  it  to  the  treasurer  to  define  and  treasurer. 
determine.  He  went  about  another  vocation, — to  preach 
unto  the  people  their  duty,  and  to  obey  their  princes,  kings, 
emperors,  and  magistrates ;  and  to  bid  them  give  that  the 
king  requireth  of  them ;  not  to  appoint  a  king  what  he  shall 
require  of  them.  It  is  meet  for  every  man  to  keep  his  own 
vocation,  and  diligently  walk  in  it ;  and  with  faithfulness  to 
study  to  be  occupied  in  that  God  hath  called  him  unto,  and 
not  to  be  busy  in  that  God  hath  not  called  him  unto. 
Therefore  saith  Christ,  "  Give  to  Caesar,"  but  he  appointcth 
not   how   much ;    for   that  should   his  treasurer  know,  and  The 

treasurers 

should  warn  him  of  it  when  he  hath  enough ;  that  the  duty- 
people  be  not  oppressed  with  unnecessary  burthens,  nor  that 
the  king's  treasures  be  to  seek  when  they  should  be  occupied. 
The  king  must  have  his  treasures  aforehand,  what  chance 
soever  come  suddenly.  It  is  no  reason,  when  the  king 
should  occupy  his  treasure  in  maintenance  of  a  common- 
wealth, in  defence  of  a  country,  in  maintaining  of  his  wars, 
that  then  his  money  should  be  in  thy  purse  to  seek,  and 
ungathered.  Nay,  he  must  have  it  in  a  readiness,  at  hand, 
that  it  be  not  to  seek.  And  he  must  have  as  much  as  is 
necessary  for  him ;  for  so  much  is  due  to  a  long  as  is  how  much' 
necessary,  and  so  much  may  he  require  by  the  law  of  God,  take"8  may 
and  take  of  his  commons,  as  is  necessary.  And  that  must 
not  thou,  nor  I,  that  are  subjects,  appoint ;  but  the  king 
himself  must  appoint  it ;  his  council  must  appoint  it.  We 
must  give  it,  we  must  pay  it ;  for  it  is  due  to  the  king,  and 
upon  peril  of  thy  soul  thou  must  pay  it.  And  as  he  that 
taketh  my  tippet  or  my  cloak  doth  me  wrong,  and  is  a  thief ; 
so  he  that  doth  not  pay  to  the  king  that  is  his  due,  without 
[!  obey  the:   1562,  1571.] 


300 


SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD. 


[SERM. 


Twenty 
pound  men 
to  the  king. 


The  king 
may  be 
unjust. 


fraud  or  guile,  doth  the  long  wrong,  and  is  in  peril  of  Ms 
soul  for  so  doing.  Well ;  mark  it  well  now,  and  see  whether 
this  text  be  a  nipping  text  for  covetous  men,  or  no :  "  Give 
to  Csesar  that  is  due  to  Caesar." 

When  the  parliament,  the  high  court  of  this  realm,  is 
gathered  together,  and  there  it  is  determined  that  every  man 
shall  pay  a  fifteenth  part  of  his  goods  to  the  king ;  then 
commissions  come  forth,  and  he  that  in  sight  of  men,  in  his 
cattle,  corn,  sheep,  and  other  goods,  is  worth  an  hundred 
mark  or  an  hundred  pound,  will  set  himself  at  ten  poimd ; 
he  will  be  worth  no  more  to  the  king  but  after  ten  pound  : 
tell  me  now  whether  this  be  theft  or  no  ?  His  cattle,  corn, 
sheep,  in  every  man's  eyes,  shall  be  worth  two  hundred 
pound,  besides  other  things,  as  money  and  plate ;  and  he 
will  marry  his  daughter,  and  give  with  her  four  or  five 
hundred  mark ;  and  yet  at  the  valuation  he  will  be  a  twenty 
pound  man :  doth  he  give  to  Csesar  that  which  is  due  to 
Csesar?  Doth  he  not  rather  rob  the  king  of  his  bound  duty 
and  debt,  that  he  owed  to  the  king  ?  Yes,  it  is  very  theft ; 
and  thou  mightest  with  as  good  conscience  take  my  cloak 
or  my  tippet  from  me,  as  so  unjustly  take  or  withhold  from 
the  king  that  which  the  parliament  hath  given  unto  the 
king.  It  is  thy  bounden  duty  to  pay  him  truly  that  which 
is  granted ;  for  it  is  due  debt,  and  upon  peril  of  thy  soul 
thou  art  bound  to  obey  it.  Yea,  I  will  say  more :  if  the 
king  should  require  of  thee  an  unjust  request,  yet  art  thou 
bound  to  pay  it,  and  not  to  resist  and  rebel  against  the 
king.  The  king,  indeed,  is  in  peril  of  his  soul,  for  asking 
of  an  unjust  request ;  and  God  will  in  his  due  time  reckon 
with  him  for  it :  but  thou  must  obey  thy  king,  and  not  take 
upon  thee  to  judge  him.  God  is  the  king's  judge,  and 
doubtless  will  grievously  punish  him  if  he  do  any  thing 
unrighteously.  Therefore  pray  thou  for  thy  king,  and  pay 
him  his  duty,  and  disobey  linn  not.  And  know  this,  that 
whensoever  there  is  any  unjust  exaction  laid  upon  thee,  it  is 
a  plague  and  punishment  for  thy  sin,  as  all  other  plagues 
are ;  as  are  hunger,  dearth,  pestilence,  and  such  other.  We 
marvel  we  are  plagued  as  we  be ;  and  I  think  verily  this 
unjust  and  unfaithful  dealing  with  our  princes  is  one  great 
cause  of  our  plague :  look  therefore  every  man  upon  his 
conscience.     Ye  shall   not  be  judged  by  worldly  policy  at 


XVI.]  SERMON     PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  SOI 

the  latter  day,  but  by  God's  word.     Sermo  quern  locutus  John  xii.  48. 
sum  vobis,  ipse  judicabit  vos  in  novissimo  die :  "  The  word 
that  I  have  spoken  to  you,  that  shall  judge  you  at  the  latter 
day."     Look  well  now  every  man  upon  his  conscience,  and 
see  whether  ye1  have  done  this  commandment  of  God.     Give 
to  your  king  that  which  is  due  to  him ;  and  he  that  findeth 
himself  guilty,  let  him  amend  in  time  to  come.      "  This  is 
hard  gear,  and  sore  gear,"  thou  wilt  say.      "  Give,  give ! 
I  have  wife  and  children,  and  great  charge !"    Well,  I  shall 
tell  thee,  it  minisheth  not   thy  stock  one  farthing   at  the  to  give  doth 
year's  end.     Hearken  what  God  saith  :  Si  audieritis  verba  the  stock. 
mea,  "  If  you  will  hear  my  words,"  saith  God,  "  and  keep 
that   I   command   thee,   I   will   bless  thee."      And,   Si  non 
audieritis,  "  If  ye   will  not  hear   my  words,   and   do   my 
commandments,  thou  shalt  be  cursed,"  &c.    What  is  blessing?  Blessing, 
Not  wagging  of  the  fingers,  as  our  bishops  were  wont :  but 
it  is,  "  I  will  favour  thee,  and  increase  thy  goods,  thy  corn, 
thy  cattle,  thy  ox,  thy  sheep ;  and  in  all  thy  business  thou 
shalt  prosper  and  go  forward."     And  what  is  the  curse,  but  Blessing  and 
to  be  out  of  God's  favour  ?  "  I  will  impoverish  thee ;  thy  corn, 
thy  cattle,  thy  ox,  thy  sheep,  shall  not  prosper ;  what  thou 
takest   in  hand,  it   shall  not  go  forward."      This  was  not 
taught  in  times  past :  men  had  pilgrimages,  images,  masses, 
trentals,  &c. 

But  I  would  have  you  muse  of  these  two  points :  cursed, 
if  thou  hear  not  God's  word  commanding  thee  to  pay  thy 
duty  to  the  king ;  and  blessed,  if  thou  hear  it  and  keep  it. 
I   would  have   you  to   muse  of  these  two  tilings:    that  it 
shall    not    minish    thy   stock.       Shew    me   one  man  in   all 
England,  that  is  the  poorer  for  paying  the  king  his  duty, 
for  being  a  true  dealing  man,  a  good  alms-man,  &c.     Many 
have  come  to  poverty  by  dicing,  carding,  riot,  whoredom,  causes  of 
and  such  like ;    but  never  no  man  by  truth,  mercy,  alms,  deeay' 
right  dealing  with  the  king.     In  the  Cardinal's2  time  men 
were  put  to  them  oaths,  to  swear  what  they  were  worth. 
It  was  a  sore  tiling,  and  a  thing  I  would  wish  not  to  be 
followed.      0  Lord,  what  perjury  was  in  England  by  that  Great  perjury 
swearing !     I  think  tins  realm  fareth  the  worse  yet  for  that m  "g  an 
perjury ;  for  doubtless,  many  a  one  willingly  and  wittingly 

[i  he,  1562,  1571.]  [2  Cardinal  Wolsey.] 


302  SERMON     PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  [sERM. 

forsware  themselves  at  that  time.  "It  is  a  dear  time,"  thou 
wilt  say,  "  and  men  have  much  ado  to  live ;  therefore  it  is 
good  policy  to  set  myself  much  less  than  I  am."  Well,  that 
is  thy  worldly  policy,  and  with  it  thou  runnest  into  the  curse 
of  God  for  breaking  his  word  and  commandment,  "  Give  to 
Caesar  that  which  is  due  to  Csesar."  I  will  tell  thee  a  good 
policy  to  keep  thy  stock,  and  to  maintain  thine  estate ;  not 
a  policy  of  the  world,  but  of  God's  word ;  and  it  is  this : 
Qucerite  primum  regnum  Dei  et  justitiam  ejus,  et  hcec  omnia 
adjicientur  vobis ;  "  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the 
righteousness  of  it,  and  all  things  shall  be  plenteously  given 
to  you."  Dost  thou  not  believe  this  to  be  true  ?  Is  Christ 
a  hollow  man,  an  untrue  man,  a  dissembler  ?  The  Pharisees 
make  him  a  true  man,  and  we  make  him  a  false  harlot. 
He  is  a  true  man;  and  his  words  and  promise  are  true. 
Nay,  we  be  false,  hollow-hearted,  and  therefore  justly  punish- 
ed. For  if  we  would  credit  his  words,  it  should  without 
doubt  be  given  us  abundantly  upon  heaps ;  yea,  more *  than 
we  could  desire. 
onierof1  AVhen  we  pray  for  things  unto  almighty  God,  what  ask 

prayer.  we  9  j)0  we  ask  forthwith  at  the  first  chop  our  necessaries  ? 
Nay,  Christ  taught  us  first  to  pray,  "  Our  Father,  which  art 
in  heaven ;  hallowed  be  thy  name ;  Thy  kingdom  come ;  Thy 
■will  be  done  in  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven,"  &c.  First,  we  pray 
these  petitions  for  faith,  hope,  and  charity;  that  God's  honour 
may  in  all  things  be  set  out  among  us ;  and  then  we  pray 
after  for  bodily  things.  But  now  we  leave  these  petitions, 
and  would  be  in  partem  nostrum,  "  our  daily  bread,"  at  the 
first  dash :  we  would  have  our  daily  bread  at  the  first  chop ; 
and  so  we  have  that,  we  force  little  of  the  other.  We  will 
not  say  in  words,  that  Ave  think  God  false,  but  in  deeds  we 
plainly  affirm  it :  for  we  trust  him  not,  neither  believe  his 
promise  when  he  biddeth  us,  "Give,  give;  I  will  bless  ye,  I 
will  make  good  my  word."  Nay,  nay,  we  will  scrape .  and 
scrawl,  and  catch  and  pull  to  us  all  that  we  may  get.  Alii 
This  is  wor-  dividunt  sua,  et  ditiores  fiunt ;  alii  rapiunt  non  sua,  et  semper 
noted.  {n  egestate  sunt :  "  Some  men,"  saith  Salomon,  "  divide  their 

own  goods ;  they  pay  the  king  his  duty,  every  man  his  own ; 
give  alms,  and  yet  are  more  richer ;  they  have  enough  and 

[!  more  and  more,  1584.] 


SERMON    PKEACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  303 


enough.      Other  rob  other  men ;  scratch  and  scrape  all  that 

they  may  come  by  ;  never  content,  never  enough ;  heap  to 

heap ;  and  yet  are  they  alway  beggars." 

Qui  henedicit  impinguabitwr,  "He  that  blesseth  shall  be 

fat  and  wealthy  :"  he  that  blesseth,  not  with  wagging   his 

fingers,  but  helping  the  poor  people,  he  shall  be  blessed  and 

ever  have  enough.      God  will  bless  him,  God  will  increase 

him.      And  indeed  so  ought  men  to  consider  their  gifts  and 

goods  to    be   given,   ut  illorum   copia    aliorum  succurrat 

inopice ;  that   their  abundance  might  succour  the  necessity, 

poverty,  and  misery  of  their  poor  neighbours ;  and  not  to 

waste   it,   consume   it   in  riot  and   excess,    but   in   deeds    of 

mercy,  in  deeds  of  charity,  and  pity  upon  the  poor.      Qui 

miseretur  pauperis,  feneratur  Domino  :  "He  that  hath  mercv  Lea™  now 
iiiii  ixi       m  •  to  s',end  thy 

upon  the  poor,  he  lendeth  upon  usury  unto  the  Lord."     This  g°ods- 

is  a  good  usury,  to  make  God  thy  debtor.  Many  lend  upon 
worldly  usury,  which  is  surely  a  very  wicked  thing,  and  God 
forbiddeth  it.  But  this  usury  God  commandeth,  and  pro-  Good  usury. 
miseth  to  supply  the  lack  of  it  in  thy  coffers.  He  will  be 
debtor,  he  will  be  paymaster.  Thou  shalt  not  find  thy  stock 
diminished  at  the  year's  end  by  keeping  God's  commandment, 
but  rather  blessed  and  increased.  "  Give  therefore  unto  the 
king  that  is  due  unto  the  king ;  et  qua  sunt  Dei  Deo,  and 
give  to  God  that  which  is  God's."  What  is  God's?  That- Things  due 
I  give  at  God's  bidding :  the  tithes,  oblations,  first-born  of 
beasts,  and  sacrifice-cattle ;  which  all  God  appointed  unto  the 
Jews  to  the  maintenance  of  their  church-ministers,  of  the 
clergy,  poor  widows,  fatherless  children,  maintenance  of  poor 
scholars.  This  was  the  cause  that  God  assigned  the  Jews  to 
pay  their  tithes ;  and  until  the  coming  of  Christ  they  were 
due  by  God's  law,  and  might  by  the  law  given  to  Moses  be 
claimed.  But  now  that  law  is  at  an  end,  neither  can  they 
be  claimed  any  more  by  that  law.  Notwithstanding,  now  in 
the  time  of  the  new  testament,  the  princes  be  bound  to  pro- 
vide a  sufficient  living  for  the  ministers,  as  St  Paul  saith,  'J'he  minister 

s\     •  ?•  i'  7  /•  mi  mustbeyro- 

Qui  evangelium  prceaicant  de  evangelio  vivant.  They  that videdfor- 
preach  the  gospel ;  this  is  the  ministry  of  salvation,  preachino- 
of  the  gospel,  and  unto  such  ministers  ye  be  bound  to  give  a 
sufficient  living.  Communicate  catechizanti  in  omnibus  bonis  : 
"  Give  part  to  him  that  teacheth  you  in  all  good  things :" 
give  him  part  of  all  your  goods:  see  he  have  sufficient  living. 


804  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  [sERM. 

But  who  shall  appoint  him  a  sufficient  living  ?  himself  ?  Nay. 
Who  then?  you?  Nay,  neither.  The  king  must  appoint 
him  sufficient  to  live  upon ;  for  I  think  verily  there  are  a 
great  many,  which  if  the  minister  should  have  no  living  but 
at  their  appointment,  he  should  not  have  clouting  leather  to 
piece  his  shoes  with  ;  no,  not  clouting  leather  to  his  shoes. 
The  king       The  king  therefore  must  appoint  the  ministers  their  livings 

must  appoint  .       .  .,  ..    .  .  i         i  •  •  -i        i 

the  minister's  by  his  law ;  and  that  living  that  the  king  appomteth  they 
must  claim,  and  you  must  pay  it  to  them  truly;  for  it  is  their 
duty,  and  it  is  theft  to  withdraw  it  or  hold  it  from  them. 
For  God  commandeth  you  to  obey  your  king's  laws,  and  by 
the  same  laws  the  king  giveth  the  minister  his  tithes  and 
other  duties.  Therefore  upon  peril  of  thy  soul  thou  art 
bound  to  obey  thy  king,  and  to  pay  thy  curate  that  tithe 
that  thou  art  commanded. 

Have  no  But  some  will  say,  "  Our  curate  is  naught;  an  ass-head; 

person.  a  dodipole ;  a  lack-latin,  and  can  do  nothing.  Shall  I  pay 
him  my  tithes,  that  doth  us  no  good,  nor  none  will  do  ? " 
"Yea,'.'  I  say,  "thou  must  pay  him  his  duty;  and  if  he  be 
such  a  one,  complain  to  the  bishop."  "  We  have  complained 
to  the  ordinary,  and  he  is  as  negligent  as  he."  Complain  to 
the  council.  "  Sir,  so  have  we  done,  but  no  remedy  can 
be  had."  Well,  I  can  tell  where  thou  shalt  complain ; 
complain  to  God,  he  will  surely  hear  thee,  he  will  remedy  it. 
Christ  saw  the  people  lying,  tanquam  oves  non  habentes 
pastores,  "  as  sheep  having  no  shepherd."  They  had  bishops, 
scribes,  and  Pharisees ;  curates  in  name,  a  great  many ;  yet 
were  they  tanquam  oves  non  habentes  pastor  em,  "  as  sheep 
having  no  shepherd."  What  is  that  to  say  ?  They  had  no 
true  teachers ;  they  had  no  preachers  of  the  law  of  God  to 
them.  What  remedy  taught  Christ  for  it  ?  withdraw  their 
livings  ?  Nay.  Make  tumults  ?  Nay :  but  rogate  Domi- 
num  messis,  "  Pray  the  Lord  of  the  harvest.1'     Pray,  pray. 

a  mean  to     Prayer  is  the  remedy  that  never  faileth :  when   all  other 

reform  negli-  "  " 

gent  curates,  faileth,  this  never  faileth.  Therefore  pray  unto  God,  and 
he  will  either  turn  his  heart,  and  make  him  better ;  or  re- 
move him  from  thee,  and  send  a  better  in  his  place ;  or  else 
take  him  away  altogether.  So  will  the  Lord  do  with  any 
other  oppressors  of  the  poor :  either  he  will  turn  their  hearts, 
and  make  them  better ;  or  else  remove  them,  and  take  them 
quite  away.     Therefore  let  men  be  patient  and  suffer,  and 


XVI.]  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  305 

pray  unto  God  for  deliverance  from  their  troubles,  and  not 
think  to  remedy  it  themselves ;  but  pray  to  God,  and  he  will 
remedy  it.  Pray,  I  say,  and  take  patience,  and  you  shall  see 
the  Lord  will  in  due  time  remedy  it. 

There  be  many  that  turn  this  text  clean  contrary ;  for  Many  turn 

J  "  this  text. 

they  yield  to  Caesar  that  which  is  God's,  and  to  God  that 
which  is  Caesar's.  They  had  money  enough  to  build  monas- 
teries, chantries,  masses,  year-days,  trentals,  to  gild  images, 
&c.  And  all  this  they  did,  say  they,  to  honour  God  with. 
They  would  worship  God  with  copes,  torches,  tapers,  candles, 
and  an  hundred  things  more,  that  God  never  required  at 
their  hands.  God  requireth  their  hearts  to  fear  him,  and 
love  him,  and  studiously  to  walk  before  him ;  but  this  inward 
service  we  will  not  give  him.  Nay,  we  give  Caesar  our  heart, 
and  God  our  outward  service,  as  all  such  do  as  have  received 
the  Interim1.  God  should  possess  our  whole  hearts,  and  we 
should  most  studiously  walk,  every  man  in  his  vocation,  ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  God,  according  to  his  commandments; 
obeying  our  king,  and  succouring  the  poor  and  needy,  as  he 
hath  commanded  us.     And  this  is  God's  true  service,  and  the  The  true 

.  God's  service. 

thing  that  belongeth  to  God. 

If  this  be  true,  what  is  become  of  our  forefathers  ?  I 
answer,  it  is  a  vain  and  unprofitable  question :  either  it  needs 
not,  or  it  boots  not.  Whatsoever  they  did,  let  us  do  well ; 
let  us  keep  God's  bidding,  God's  commandments,  and  then 
are  we  safe.  When  one  dieth,  we  must  have  bells  ringing, 
singing,  and  much  ado :  but  to  what  purpose  ?  Those  that 
die  in  the  favour  of  God  are  well ;  those  that  die  out  of 
the  favour  of  God,  this  can  do  them  no  good.  Ubi  ceciderit 
lignum,  ibi  erit ;  "Where  the  tree  falleth,  there  it  shall 
remain."  Study  therefore  to  live  in  the  favour  and  grace 
of  God,  in  repentance,  in  amendment  of  life ;  and  then  cliest 
thou  well.      Further,  to  the  question  of  our  forefathers,  God  Leave  the 

x  forefathers 

knoweth  his  elect,  and  diligently  watcheth  and  keepeth  them,  fo  God's 

o  «7  1  '  judgment. 

[J  A  statement  of  doctrine  drawn  up  in  the  year  1548  by  Romish 
and  Protestant  divines,  at  the  command  of  the  emperor  Charles  V. 
The  name  of  the  Interim  was  given  to  this  system  of  doctrine,  because 
it  was  intended  to  remain  in  force  only  until  a  free  General  Council 
could  be  held,  for  the  purpose  of  settling  the  religious  controversies 
which  had  arisen  in  Germany.  Sleidan,  History  of  the  Reformation, 
pp.  458,  &c. :  Robertson,  Charles  V.  Book  ix.] 

r  i  20 

[LATIMER.] 


306  SERMON     PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  [sERM. 

so  that  all  things  serve  to  their  salvation.  The  nature  of 
lire  is  to  burn  all  that  is  laid  in  it ;  yet  God  kept  the 
three  young  men  in  Babylon,  that  they  burnt  not.  And 
Moses  saw  a  bush  on  fire,  but  it  burnt  not.  So  false  doctrine 
as  fire  burnetii,  it  corrupteth :  but  God  kept  his  elect,  that 
they  were  not  corrupt  with  it,  but  always  put  their  trust 
in  one  everliving  God,  through  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  In  Elias'  time  idolatry  and  superstition  reigned;  so 
that  Elias  said,  Domine,  altaria  tua  subverterunt,  "  Lord, 
they  have  destroyed  thine  altars,  and  slain  thy  prophets 
and  preachers,  and  I  am  left  alone."  But  the  Lord  answer- 
ed him.  "  I  have  reserved  to  myself  seven  thousand  men 
that  have  not  bowed  their  knees  to  Baal:"  so  God,  I  trust, 
reserved  our  forefathers,  in  so  perilous  times,  more  gra- 
ciously than  we  can  think.  Let  us  thank  God,  then,  for  the 
gracious  light  of  his  word  sent  unto  us  ;  and  pray  for  our 
gracious  king  and  his  council,  that  set  it  forth  unto  us.  And 
as  for  our  forefathers,  seeing  we  have  no  charge  given  us 
of  God,-  leave  them,  and  commend  them  unto  God's  mercy, 
who  disposed  better  for  them  than  we  can  wish. 

But  some  will  say  now,  "What  need  we  preachers  then? 
God  can  save  his  elect  without  preachers."  A  goodly  reason! 
God  can  save  my  life  without  meat  and  drink ;  need  I  none 
therefore?  God  can  save  me  from  burning,  if  I  were  in 
the  fire ;  shall  I  run  into  it  therefore  ?  No,  no ;  I  must 
ordinary      keep  the  way  that  God  hath  ordained,  and  use  the  ordinary 

mwins  must  l  v  *  *J 

means  that  God  hath  assigned,  and  not  seek  new  ways. 
This  office  of  preaclnng  is  the  only  ordinary  way  that  God 
hath  appointed  to  save  us  all  by.  Let  us  maintain  this,  for 
I  know  none  other ;  neither  think  I  God  will  appoint  or 
devise  any  other. 

"  Pay  therefore  to  Csesar  that  which  is  due  to  Caesar." 
And  this  said  Christ  by  an  heathen  king,  a  paynim :  how 
much  more  ought  we  to  pay  to  our  Caesar,  our  liege  lord 
and  king,  a  christian  king,  and  so  godly  and  virtuous  a 
learned  king !  And  "  pay  to  God  that  is  due  to  God :" 
tithes  and  all  duties  belonging  to  the  ministers  and  preachers 
of  this  office  of  salvation,  give  to  them  without  dissembling, 
without  withdrawing  or  abridging  of  their  duties.  Take 
heed  of  lying,  and  setting  thyself  at  less  than  thou  art. 
Mark  the  example  of  Ananias  and   Saphira  his  Avife:  they 


means  must 
be  used. 


Beware  of 
lying. 


XVI.]  SERMON     PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.  307 

died  suddenly  for  their  lying  and  dissimulation  in  the  like 
matter. 

Well,  this  was  Christ's  doctrine  :  this  was  his  answer : 
"  Give  to  Caasar  that  which  is  Caesar's,  and  to  God  that 
which  is  God's."  Et  non  potuerunt  reprehendere  verbum 
ejus  coram  popido:  "And  they  could  not  find  fault  in  his 
word  before  the  people ;"  it  was  so  just,  so  consonant  with 
scriptures  and  with  reason.  Yet  afterward  they  falsified 
his  word  before  Pilate,  accusing  him,  Hunc  deprehendimus 
evertentem  gentem,  et  vetantem  tributa  dari  Ccesari ;  "  We 
found  this  fellow  turning  away  the  people's  hearts,  and 
forbidding  the1  tribute  to  be  given  to  Caesar."  These  be  Perilous 
perilous  people  to  meddle  withal,  malicious  and  uncharitable ; 
that  care  not  what  slander  they  accuse  a  man  of.  Deny  : 
they  are  ready  to  accuse.  Affirm :  they  will  yet  falsify 
his  word.  Then  it  is  best  to  say  nothing  at  all.  Nay,  not 
so.  Let  us  speak  God's  truth,  and  live  according  to  his 
commandment ;  he  shall  deliver  us  from  the  hands  of  our 
adversaries,  and  make  us  safe  in  his  heavenly  kingdom.  Let 
us,  I  say,  do  God's  bidding  and  commandment.  Give  to  our 
king  our  duties.  Truly  we  shall  have  never  the  less ;  it  shall  to  do  truly 
not  minish  our  stock,  we  shall  rather  have  the  more.  For  not  our  e 
God  is  true  of  his  promise.  Let  us  maintain  the  necessary 
office  of  salvation ;  pay  to  the  ministers  the  things  appointed 
them ;  maintain  scholars  and  schools ;  help  the  poor  widows 
and  fatherless  children ;  study  to  do  good  while  we  have 
time  in  this  present  life :  so  shall  the  Lord  in  this  life 
bless  us,  and  after  this  life  give  us  eternal  life  through 
Jesus  Christ ;  to  whom,  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
be  all  laud  and  honour.  Amen. 

Marvel  not  that  I  use  at  the  sermon's  end  to  make 
prayer,  for  I  do  it  not  of  singularity :  but  when  I  am  at 
home,  and  in  the  country  where  I  go,  sometime  when  the 
poor  people  come  and  ask  at  me,  I  appose2  them  myself, 
or  cause  my  servant  to  appose  them,  of  the  Lord's  prayer ; 
and  they  answer  some,  "  I  can  say  my  Latin  Pater-noster ;" 
some,  "  I  can  say  the  old  Pater-noster,  but  not  the  new." 

[i  that,  1584.] 

[2  appose :  question,  examine.     Fr.  apposer.] 

20 — 2 


308  SERMON    PREACHED    AT    STAMFORD.        [sERM.   XVI. J 

Therefore  that  all  that  cannot  say  it  may  learn,  I  use  before 
the  sermon  and  after  to  say  it.  Wherefore  now  I  beseech 
you,  let  us  say  it  together  : 

"  Our  Father,  which  art,"  &c. 


CERTAIN   SERMONS 


THE    RIGHT    REVEREND   FATHER   IN   GOD 

MASTER  DOCTOR  LATIMER, 

BEFORE  THE  BIGHT  VIRTUOUS  AND   HONOURABLE  LADY,   KATHEBINE, 
DUCHESS  OF  SUFFOLK,   IN  THE  YEAR  OF  OUR  LORD  1552. 


TO  THE  RIGHT   HONOURABLE   THE   LADY  KATHERINE, 

DUCHESS  OF  SUFFOLK,  AUGUSTINE  BERNHER  WISH- 

ETH  THE  GRACE  OF  GOD  WITH  THE  INCREASE 

OF  ALL  HEAVENLY   VIRTUES   TO  HER 

GRACES  ETERNAL  COMFORT   IN 

JESUS  CHRIST. 


That  princely  prophet  David,  describing  the  perverse 
nature  and  wicked  properties  of  the  ungodly  and  reprobates, 
amongst  other  crimes  whereof  he  doth  accuse  them,  he  layeth 
also  to  their  charge  that  "they  have  not  called  upon  God." 
By  the  which  words  he  doth  manifestly  teach,  that  they 
which  do  not  give  themselves  to  true  and  faithful  prayer,  and 
invocating  of  the  name  of  God,  are  in  the  number  of  those 
which  do  say  in  their  hearts,  "  There  is  no  God."  For  as  the 
godly,  by  their  earnest  and  continual  praying  and  praising  of 
the  name  of  God,  do  declare  the  reverent  fear  they  bear 
towards  his  divine  majesty,  and  their  unfeigned  love,  the 
which  is  grafted  in  their  hearts  by  the  gracious  and  divine 
Spirit,  towards  their  heavenly  and  most  loving  Father,  by 
the  which  they  are  encouraged  willingly  and  cheerfully  to 
walk  in  the  way  of  godliness,  and  to  frame  their  lives  to  the 
will  and  pleasure  of  him  whom  they  fear  and  love :  so,  on 
the  contrary  side,  the  ungodly,  in  that  they  do  not  call  upon 
their  God,  neither  praise  him,  most  evidently  declare  that  they 
stand  not  in  awe  of  him,  nor  love  him,  but  rather  despise 
him  as  one  that  is  neither  able  to  hurt  or  pleasure  them. 

By  this,  now,  that  I  have  said  it  doth  manifestly  appear, 
that  as  faithful  and  true  prayer  is  the  occasion  of  all  goodness 
and  godliness,  so  the  omitting  and  neglecting  of  the  same  is 
the  root  and  cause  of  all  sin  and  mischief :  and  that  will  be 
more  evident  unto  them  that  do  consider  with  themselves  these 
two  principal  parts,  wherein  true  prayer  doth  consist.  The 
first  part  of  true  prayer  is  called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue 
Thephilah  ;  the  which  signifieth  Judicii  vel  condemnationis 
deprecationem,  a  hearty  and  earnest  request  and  supplication, 
made   unto  God  the  eternal   Judge,   for  the  remission   and 


312  SERMONS    ON    THE    LORd's    PRAYER. 

pardon  of  sins ;  the  which  request  proceedeth  from  the  heart 
that  is  anguished  by  the  ugsome  sight  of  his  wickedness, 
revealed  by  the  brightness  of  the  law  of  God.  The  other 
part  of  prayer  is  called  in  the  same  tongue  Thehillah, 
Laus,  a  praise  of  God's  mercies,  the  which  doth  follow  the 
former  request.  For  when  the  heart  so  anguished  hath 
poured  out  his  grief,  and  is  by  the  Spirit  of  God  certified 
that  his  sins  be  forgiven,  his  prayer  is  heard  for  Christ's 
sake ;  by  and  by  it  bursteth  out  into  a  joyful  praising  of  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  who  so  graciously  hath  shewed  himself  in 
giving  comfort  unto  his  sorrowful  conscience.  In  these  two 
parts  of  prayer  the  children  of  God  do  exercise  themselves ; 
that  is,  in  lamenting  of  their  sins,  and  in  rejoicing  in  the  for- 
giveness of  the  same,  the  which  consisteth  in  the  death  of 
Christ.  Whereupon  the  third  part  followeth,  the  which  is  to 
crave  at  their  Father's  hands  such  things  as  be  needful  for 
them  in  this  world. 

Now  he  that  beholdeth  diligently  the  state  of  the  world 
shall  easily  perceive,  that  the  most  part  of  men  are  given 
up  to  their  own  hearts'  lusts,  because  they  be  destitute  of 
that  most  comfortable  spirit  of  prayer.  Who  doth  not  see 
that  the  principal  occasion  of  this  horrible  unthankfulness, 
the  which  of  all  states  of  men  is  shewed  towards  the  eternal 
God,  happeneth  by  the  reason  that  men  do  not  pass  for 
their  sins,  do  lightly  regard  them,  and  so  do  not  crave  re- 
mission of  them  at  God's  hands,  neither  be  thankful  ?  If 
men  did  exercise  themselves  in  faithful  prayer,  and  did  use 
to  examine  themselves  by  the  rule  of  the  law  of  God  (in 
the  which  glass  they  may  soon  see  their  own  filthiness),  they 
would  no  doubt  with  great  dilio-ence  consider  the  great  and 
inestimable  benefits  of  the  Lord  their  God  shewed  unto  them, 
even  in  these  our  days.  First,  how  graciously  he  gave  us 
the  light  of  the  gospel  in  king  Edward's  time,  for  the  space 
of  seven  years.  After  the  which  time,  by  the  reason  of  our 
unthankfulness,  he  most  justly  plagued  us,  and  took  the  same 
away  again,  and  caused  by  the  devil's  hangmen  (the  papists, 
I  mean)  darkness,  blindness,  and  most  pestiferous  doctrine  to 
be  brought  into  the  church  ;  by  reason  whereof  a  great  num- 
ber that  had  before  no  lust  to  the  truth,  even  by  God's  just 
judgment,  were  then  deceived  by  lies,  and  so  perished  eter- 
nally.     And  yet,    notwithstanding,    the  faithful   Lord  in  all 


DEDICATION.  318 

these  turmoilings  preserved  his  servants,  giving  unto  a  num- 
ber of  them  such  a  princely  spirit,  that  they  were  able  to 
deride  and  laugh  to  scorn  the  threatenings  of  the  tyrants ; 
to  despise  the  terribleness  of  prisons  and  torments ;  and  in 
the  end,  most  joyfully  to  overcome  and  conquer  death,  to  the 
praise  of  God  and  their  own  endless  comfort.  Unto  other 
some  the  selfsame  most  gracious  God  gave  such  a  valiant 
spirit,  that  they  were  able,  by  his  grace,  to  forsake  the  plea- 
sures and  commodities  of  this  world ;  and  being  armed  with 
patience,  were  content  to  travel  into  far  and  unknown  coun- 
tries, with  their  families  and  households,  having  small  worldly 
provision,  or  none  at  all ;  but  trusting  to  his  providence,  who 
never  forsaketh  them  that  trust  in  him.      Besides  this,  the  The  eongre- 

r^  i  1  1  •  1  O  Sation  ol  tni 

same  God  preserved  a  great  number,  even  in  the  midst  oi  faithful  in 

.  .  r,  Queen 

them  enemies,  not  only  from  bodily  dangers,  but  also  from  Mary's 
being  infected  with  that  poisoned  and  blasphemous  doctrine, 
that  then  in  all  open  pulpits  with  shameless  brags  and  osten- 
tation was  set  abroad.  I  will  not  speak  now  of  that  wonder- 
ful work  of  God,  who  caused  his  word  to  be  preached,  and 
his  sacraments  ministered,  even  in  the  midst  of  the  enemies, 
in  spite  of  the  devil  and  all  his  ministers. 

These  things  the  Lord  wrought  most  graciously  for  his 
people  :  but  when  the  time  came  that  the  measure  of  wicked- 
ness of  the  wicked  was  full,  the  self-same  God,  even  of  his 
own  mercy,  and  by  his  own  power  confounded  Ins  enemies 
by  the  means  of  our  most  gracious  lady,  the  queen's  ma- 
jesty (for  whose  prosperous  estate  and  preservation  the  God 
of  mercy  grant  unto  all  faithful  Christians  grace  most  instantly 
to  pray!)  her  most  joyful  coining  to  the  imperial  crown  of 
this  realm ;  who  caused  that  filthy  and  dark  antichristian 
doctrine  to  vanish  out  of  sight,  and  instead  thereof  that  most 
glorious  light  of  the  gospel  to  shine  again ;  the  which  sorrow- 
fully was  wished  for  of  all  faithful  English  hearts ;  restoring 
withal  the  preachers  of  the  same  gospel,  the  which  before 
were  expulsed  as  exiles  by  the  tyranny  of  the  popish  pre- 
lates. The  which  benefits,  as  they  be  immeasurable,  so 
ought  they  continually  with  thankful  hearts  of  all  them  that 
bear  the  name  of  Christians  to  be  considered.  But,  as  I  said 
before,  the  most  part  of  men  do  not  pass  for  these  things. 
The  light  of  the  gospel  is  not  comfortable  unto  them,  because 
they   feel   not    the   darkness  that  is  in   them :   they  be  not 


314  SERMONS    ON     THE    LORd's    PRAYER. 

troubled  with  their  own  wickedness  :  sin  lieth  lurking  and 
sleeping  within  them  ;  and  they  have  fully,  as  it  were,  sold 
themselves  to  worldly  business,  to  climb  up  to  get  honours 
and  dignities,  and  the  pelf  of  worldly  things  ;  and  these  things 
are  the  cause  why  they  do  not  pray  unto  the  Lord  their 
God.  But  woe  be  unto  such  sleepers  in  their  own  sins,  and 
forgettcrs  of  God's  benefits  !  A  day  will  come  when  they 
shall  wish  themselves  never  to  have  been  born.  Thus  you 
see,  that  the  neglecting  of  prayer  is  the  occasion  of  that 
horrible  unthankfulness  and  forgetfulness  of  God's  benefits. 
What  is  to  be  said  unto  them  that,  contrary  to  their  own 
hearts  and  consciences,  he  in  sin  and  wickedness,  and  will 
not  amend  their  lives,  although  they  hear  their  sins  accused, 
condemned,  and  God^  vengeance  pronounced  upon  them  ? 
They  be  so  drowned  with  the  desires  of  their  own  hearts, 
that  they  do  not  pass  for  the  ways  of  the  Lord.  Of  such 
kind  of  men  the  world  is  full,  which  have  shameless  fore- 
heads, being  not  abashed  of  their  vilencss.  The  cause  of 
their  miseries  (as  David  declareth)  is,  quia  Deum  non  invoca- 
verunt,   "  because  they   have  not  called    upon  God." 

But  what  kind  of  prayer  do  those  men  say  (trow  you) 
which  call  themselves  spiritual  and  nXijpos,  "  the  lot  of  the 
Lord  ?"  It  is  as  manifest  as  the  noon-day,  that  the  most  part 
of  them  neither  pray,  nor  know  what  true  prayer  is.  For  if 
they  did  use  to  pray  as  the  true  Christians  do,  they  could  not 
choose  but  be  compelled  to  amend  their  lives  ;  their  con- 
sciences would  be  abashed  to  come  before  the  Lord  without  a 
hearty  purpose  to  amend  their  conversation.     Doth  not  the 

hos.  vi.  saying  of  Osea  the  prophet  take  hold  upon  the  most  part  of 
you  that  be  of  the  popish  clergy,  and  have  been  mass-mon- 
gers ?  where  as  he  saith,  "  As  thieves  wait  for  a  man,  so 
the  companies  of  priests  murder  in  the  way  by  consent;  for 

rapist*  m  they  work  mischief."  Did  not  you  conspire  together  at  the 
entry  of  Queen  Mary  to  murder  the  people  of  God,  in  cast- 
ing from  you  most  traitorously  the  precious  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ,  in  submitting  yourselves  to  that  filthy  beast  of  Rome, 
and  in  receiving  the  stinking  idolatrous  mass,  by  the  which 
you  have  destroyed  an  innumerable  sort  of  people  ?  Are  you 
sorry  for  these  your  doings  ?  Do  you  humble  yourselves  be- 
fore the  majesty  of  the  terrible  God,  with  hearty  and  faithful 
prayer ;  acknowledging   your  wickedness,  and  intending  to 


ish  doctrine 
are  ashamed 
of  repent- 
ance. 


DEDICATION.  315 

eschew  the  same  ?  No  such  things  can  be  perceived  in  you. 
For  whereas  before,  in  the  time  of  antichrist,  boldly  and 
openly  you  did  deceive  the  people  of  their  salvation  in  Christ; 
now  in  the  light  of  the  gospel  secretly  you  whisper  into  the 
ears  of  the  simple,  and  dissuade  them  from  receiving  of  the 
truth,  so  that  most  justly  you  may  be  compared  unto  those 
spies  of  whom  we  read,  Num.  xiii.,  the  which  with  their  ni 
false  reports  did  hinder  the  people  of  Israel  from  entering 
into  the  land  of  promise.  For  they  being  sent  by  Moses  to 
search  the  land,  and  to  bring  good  tidings  unto  the  people, 
by  the  which  they  might  have  been  encouraged  manfully  to 
have  assayed  their  enemies,  and  take  possession  of  the  land, 
they,  contrary  to  Moses's  expectation,  like  faithless  men, 
came  and  discomforted  the  people,  and  caused  them  to  mis- 
trust God's  promises.  And  do  not  ye  the  like  ?  Whereas 
God  hath  appointed  you  to  search  the  land  of  promise  in  Ins 
holy  word,  and  to  bring  tidings  of  the  same  unto  his  people 
by  faithful  and  diligent  teachers,  and  encourage  them  to 
embrace  and  to  lay  hold  upon  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  you, 
like  false  messengers,  cither  by  your  false  reports  and  wicked 
doctrine  do  hinder  the  people  from  entering  into  the  promised 
land ;  or  else,  like  dumb  dogs  that  are  not  able  to  bark,  you 
lie  in  your  kennels,  feeding  your  bellies  and  making  good 
cheer  with  the  labours  and  sweat  of  the  poor  people,  not 
passing  whether  they  swim  or  sink,  or  what  become  of  them. 
Worthily,  therefore,  the  prophet  David  numbereth  you 
amongst  them  that  say  in  then*  hearts,  "  There  is  no  God." 
And  this  appeareth  unto  all  others,  because  ye  do  not  call 
upon  God.  For  if  you  did  accustom  to  call  yourselves  to  an 
account  before  the  majesty  of  God,  in  your  faithful  prayers, 
the  remembrance  of  your  horrible  murder  of  God's  people, 
of  your  idleness,  carelessness,  belly-cheer,  ignorance  of  God's 
will  and  word,  secret  filthiness,  and  such  other  like  stuff, 
Avould  cause  you  to  water  your  cheeks,  and  compel  you  to 
shew  some  token  of  repentance  unto  the  people  of  God  : 
but  nothing  is  seen  in  you  but  desperateness.  Wherefore 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  departed  from  you.  And  this  is 
more  evident  in  your  manifold  and  manifest  perjuries,  com- 
mitted by  you  in  king  Henry's  time,  in  king  Edward's  time, 
in  queen  Mary's  time.  And  what  may  be  said  of  you  at 
this  time,  but  that  you  be  false  perjured  hypocrites ;  bearing 


316  SERMONS  ON  THE  LORd's  PRAYER. 

two  faces  under  one  hood ;  being  ready,  like  weathercocks,  to 
turn  at  all  seasons  as  the  wind  doth  carry  you?  Can  you 
look  for  any  thing  at  God's  hands,  but  to  bo  punished  with 
his  terrible  plagues  as  Judas  was  (whose  companions  you 
be),  that  all  the  world  may  take  ensample  by  you  to  beware 
of  these  horrible  crimes  with  the  which  you  are  so  denied, 
that  no  water  in  the  sea  is  able  to  make  you  clean?  One 
kind  of  water  would  help  your  disease,  if  the  Lord  of  his 
mercy  would  give  you  grace  to  call  unto  him  for  it ;  that  is, 
the  same  water  of  life  the  which  the  Lord  promiseth  to  the 
unmerciful    faithful  and  penitent  sinners,  amongst  the  number  of  whom 

and  without  _,  °. 

repentance     as  yet  ye  be  not,  so  tar  as  man  can  mage.      And,   therefore, 

cannot  be  «  «  \  <>        »  »  » 

receivcln'nto  it  standeth  you  in  hand  to  look  about  you  in  time,  before 
handsofliod.  tne  halter  be  cast  about  your  necks,  as  it  happened  to 
Judas ;  whose  footsteps  you  follow  in  your  behaviours  in 
this  world,  that  it  is  to  be  feared  you  shall  rest  together  in 
one  place  in  the  world  to  come.  But  of  the  vile  behaviour 
of  these  miserable  men  it  grieveth  me  to  speak  any  further ; 
not  doubting  but  that  the  magistrates,  whom  God  hath 
charged  with  his  people,  will  even  with  speed  consider  these 
things  accordingly,  and  not  suffer  those  wavering  and  per- 
jured weathercocks  to  have  any  thing  to  do  within  the 
house  of  God,  the  which  is  his  church,  purified  with  the 
blood  of  Christ.  For  the  magistrates  know  that  they 
themselves  cannot  pray  unto  the  Lord  then'  God,  except 
their  hearts  be  faithfully  disposed  to  do  the  works  of  their 
vocation  truly  and  faithfully  ;  of  the  which  the  principal  is, 
to  see  the  people  instructed  by  faithful  ministers  in  the  ways 
of  the  Lord :  the  which  instructions  cannot  be  given  by 
such  as  are  not  only  defiled  with  such  kind  of  vices  as  is 
above  rehearsed,  but  also  are  utterly  destitute  of  all  good 
gifts,  and  know  not  the  principles  of  their  religion. 

This  matter  is  so  weighty,  and  of  such  importance,  that 
the  magistrates,  having  the  fear  of  God  before  them  eyes, 
must  needs  consider  it  with  speed ;  for  it  toucheth  the  eternal 
safeguard  of  them  for  whom  the  Son  of  God  did  shed  his 
own  heart's  blood :  they  ought  not  to  be  put  into  the  hands 
of  such  as  do  not  pass  for  their  own  salvation,  much  less  for 
others'.  Therefore  with  great  and  speedy  diligence  the 
magistrates  are  bound,  seeing  God  doth  put  them  in  trust 
with  his  children,  to  provide,  that  as  they  be  bought  with 


DEDICATION.  Sl7 

the  blood  of  Christ,  so  they  may  be  nourished  with  the  true 
and  sincere  word  of  God,  to  the  praise  of  his  name  and 
their  eternal  comfort.  Further,  who  can  not  lament,  even 
from  the  bottom  of  his  heart,  to  see  a  great  number  to  live 
in  such  carelessness,  and  flatter  themselves  in  their  own  sins, 
thinking  that  they  be  the  children  of  God,  when  as  in  very 
deed  the  comfortable  spirit  of  faithful  prayer  is  departed 
from  them,  and  they  worthily  numbered  amongst  them  that 
have  no  God  nor  Christ  ?  as  those  men  be  which  be  so 
greedy  upon  the  world,  and  have  addicted  and  consecrated 
themselves  unto  it,  after  such  a  sort,  as  though  this  world 
should  last  for  ever.  And  in  this  taking  be  the  greater 
part  of  the  gentlemen,  which  with  such  extremities  entreat 
their  poor  tenants,  with  raising  of  rents,  taking  of  fines, 
and  other  kinds  of  extreme  dealings,  that  they  are  com- 
pelled day  and  night  to  cry  unto  God  for  vengeance  against 
them.  And  can  any  man  think  that  these  pitiless  and  cruel 
men  can  appear  before  the  majesty  of  God,  and  crave 
remission  of  their  sins ;  when  as  they  be  purposed  to  go  on 
forward  still  in  their  extreme  dealings  against  the  poor  ? 
I  will  not  speak  now  of  them  that,  being  not  content  with 
their  lands  and  rents,  do  catch  into  their  hands  spiritual 
livings,  as  parsonages  and  such  like ;  and  that  under  the 
pretence  to  make  provision  for  their  houses.  What  hurt 
and  damage  this  realm  of  England  doth  sustain  by  that 
devilish  kind  of  provision  for  gentlemen's  houses,  knights' 
and  lords'  houses,  they  can  tell  best  that  do  travel  in  the 
countries,  and  see  with  their  eyes  great  parishes  and  market- 
towns,  with  innumerable  others,  to  be  utterly  destitute  of 
God's  word ;  and  that  because  that  these  greedy  men  have 
spoiled  the  livings  and  gotten  them  into  their  hands ;  and, 
instead  of  a  faithful  and  painful  teacher,  they  hire  a  Sir 
John1,  which  hath  better  skill  in  playing  at  tables,  or  in 
keeping  of  a  garden,  than  in  God's  word;  and  he  for  a 
trifle  doth  serve  the  cure,  and  so  help  to  bring  the  people 
of  God  in  danger  of  their  souls.      And  all  those  serve  to 

['  A  name  of  contempt  at  that  time  applied  to  the  lower  and 
more  illiterate  of  the  clergy.  Wordsworth,  Ecclesiast.  Biograph. 
Vol.  I.  p.  392,  third  edit.  For  some  reason  or  other,  the  name  John 
is  also  used  contemptuously  in  several  of  the  countries  of  western 
Europe.] 


Si: 


SERMON'S    ON    THE     LORD  S    PRAYER. 


accomplish  the  .abominable  pride  of  such  gentlemen,  which 
consume  the  goods  of  the  poor  (the  which  ought  to  have 
been  bestowed  upon  a  learned  minister)  in  costly  apparel, 
belly-cheer,  or  in  building  of  gorgeous  houses.  But  let 
them  be  assured,  that  a  day  will  come  when  it  will  be  laid 
to  their  charge,  Rapina  pauperum  in  domibus  vestris. 
And  then  they  shall  perceive  that  their  fair  houses  are  built 
in  the  place  called  "  Aceldama :"  they  have  a  bloody  foun- 
dation, and  therefore  cannot  stand  long.  This  matter  also 
is  so  weighty,  and  the  spiritual  slaughter  of  the  poor  people 
so  miserable  and  woeful,  that  except  the  magistrates  speedily 
look  thereunto,  and  redress  the  same,  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth 
himself  will  find  out  some  remedy  to  deliver  his  people  from 
such  caterpillars;  and  require  the  blood  of  his  people  at 
their  hands,  by  whose  covetousness  they  were  letted  to  come 
to  the  knowledge  of  Christ.  And  besides  this,  such  ravening, 
wolves  as  devour  the  livings  of  teachers  and  ministers  of 
God's  word,  shall  not  be  able  to  come  in  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  to  pray  unto  him  or  to  praise  him ;  for  all  that  ever 
they  do  (yea,  even  their  prayers)  is  execrable  before  the 
Lord,  so  long  as  they  turn  their  ear  from  the  hearing  of 
the  law  of  the  Lord ;  that  is  to  say,  so  long  as  they  do  not, 
even  from  the  very  bottom  of  their  hearts,  go  about  to 
redress  these  heinous  faults  with  the  which  they  be  entan- 
gled. Let  them  repent,  therefore,  even  speedily,  before  the 
wrathful  indignation  of  the  Lord  fall  upon  them,  and  so 
destroy  them  in  their  sins.  And  these  things  ought  to  be 
considered  of  all  them  that  pretend  Christianity,  of  what 
a  sharp  note  estate  or  degree  soever  they  be ;  as  well  lawyers,  whose 
ye«.  covetousness  hath  almost   devoured   England,   as   craftsmen, 

husbandmen,  servants  and  others:  remembering  with  them- 
selves, that  if  their  hearts  be  inclined  to  wickedness,  the 
Lord  will  not  hear  their  prayers.  Let  them  stand  in  awe 
of  the  Lord  their  God ;  and  so  behave  themselves  in  their 
conversation  and  life,  that  they  may  have  recourse  unto 
him,  and  be  encouraged  to  make  their  prayers  confidently 
before  him  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ ;  of  whom  they  shall 
receive  comfort  of  soul  and  body,  as  well  in  this  world,  as 
in  the  world  to  come  eternally.  For  this  is  most  certain, 
that  if  they  proceed  in  their  wickedness  and  ungodliness, 
not  passing  whether  they  be  ruled,   moved,  and  stirred  by 


DEDICATION.  319 

the  gracious  Spirit  of  God  to  praise  his  name  or  not ;  then 

most   assuredly   the   Lord  will  pour   out   his    plagues   upon 

the  whole  realm,  according   to  the   saying   of  the  prophet, 

"  The  Lord  will  pour  out  his  wrath  upon  the  kingdoms  that  Psai.  ixxix. 

have  not  called  upon  his  name." 

Now  to  the  intent  that  they  which  are  ignorant  and  un- 
learned may  the  better  be  instructed  how  to  order  themselves, 
when  they  go  about  to  present  themselves  before  the  majesty 
of  God,  and  talk  with  him  concerning  those  things  which 
be  needful  for  their  souls'  health  and  preservation  of  their 
bodies;  I  thought  it  good  (by  the  instant  request  of  the  godly 
learned)  to  put  forth  these  sermons  here  following  in  print ; 
which  were  preached  in  king  Edward's  time,  before  the  Right 
Honourable  Lady  Katherine,  Duchess  of  Suffolk,  her  Grace, 
by  that  same  reverend  father,  and  most  constant  martyr  of 
Christ,  Dr  Hugh  Latimer,  my  most  dear  master  :  for  whose 
most  painful  travels,  faithful  preachings,  true  carefulness  for 
his  country,  patient  imprisonment,  and  constant  suffering,  all 
the  whole  realm  of  England  hath  great  cause  to  give  unto  the 
eternal  God  most  high  laud  and  praise.  For  who  is  he  that 
is  so  ignorant,  that  did  not  see  the  wonderful  handy-work  of 
God  in  that  man  ?  Did  not  God  appoint  him,  even  in  king- 
Henry's  days,  to  be  a  singular  instrument  to  set  forth  his 
truth,  and  by  his  preaching  to  open  the  eyes  of  such  as  were 
deluded  by  the  subtle  and  deceitful  crafts  of  the  popish  pre- 
lates ?  How  manifold  ways  was  he  troubled,  tossed,  and  tur- 
moiled  from  post  to  pillar,  by  the  popish  bishops ;  whose 
hands  he  could  not  have  escaped,  if  God  had  not  moved  the 
long's  majesty's  heart,  that  then  was,  to  assist  him ;  by 
whose  absolute  power  divers  times  he  was  delivered  from  the 
cruel  lions !     And  although  it  did  please  God,  in  process  of  Dr  Latimer 

•  i      •  withstood 

time,  to  suffer  the  king's  maiesty  to  be  deluded  and  circum-  tiie  six 

o  ti        «/  articles, 

vented  by  the  subtle  persuasions  of  those  popish  bishops,  to  ^lr1e°^,,J.they 
establish  by  law  six  ungodly  articles ;  yet  this  faithful  servant  f™ed  by 
of  Christ  would  rather  put  his  own  life  in  danger  than  forsake 
or  depart  from  that,  the  which  afore  most  faithfully  he  had 
taught  out  of  God's  word.  Wherefore  he  was  contented 
rather  to  be  cast  into  the  Tower,  and  there  to  look  daily  for 
death,  than  to  be  found  a  wavering  reed,  or  to  deceive  his 
prince.  For  "  they,"  said  he,  "  that  do  allow  any  thing  dis- 
agreeing from  God's  word,  in  respect  to  fulfil  the  appetites  of 


320  SERMONS    ON    THE    LORd's    PRAYER. 

princes,  are  betrayers  and  murderers  of  their  princes,  because 
they  provoke  the  wrath  of  God  to  destroy  such  princes ;  and 
these  flatterers  become  guilty  of  the  blood  of  their  princes, 
and  are  the  chief  causes  of  their  destructions."  Wherefore 
this  faithful  man  of  God,  knowing  his  prince  to  be  deluded 
by  the  false  priests,  and  being  assured  the  things  that  were 
allowed  to  be  contrary  to  God's  word,  was  ready  thus  to  ad- 
venture his  life ;  at  the  winch  time  God  mercifully  delivered 
him,  to  the  great  comfort  of  all  godly  hearts,  and  singular 
a  true  his-  commodity  of  Ins  church.  Now  when  he  was  thus  delivered, 
of'tiu- nf"n  C^  ne  S*ve  mmse^  UP  *0  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  to  deli- 
faHH^Hu^h  cateness  or  idleness  ?  No,  assuredly ;  but  even  then  most  of  all 
pa'aduT  of  he  began  to  set  forth  his  plough,  and  to  till  the  ground  of 
Gods  truth.  ^  LorcL  and  to  sow  the  good  corn  of  God's  word,  behaving 
himself  as  a  faithful  messenger  of  God,  being  afraid  of  no  man ; 
telling  all  degrees  their  duties  faithfully  and  truly,  without 
respect  of  persons,  or  any  kind  of  flattery.  In  the.  which  his 
painful  travails  he  continued  all  king  Edward's  time,  preach- 
ing for  the  most  part  every  Sunday  two  sermons,  to  the  great 
shame,  confusion,  and  damnation  of  a  great  number  of  our 
fat-bellied  unpreaching  prelates.  For  he,  being  a  sore  bruised 
man,  and  above  three-score  and  seven  years  of  age,  took  not- 
withstanding all  these  pains  in  preaching,  and  besides  this, 
every  morning  ordinarily,  winter  and  summer,  about  two  of 
the  clock  in  the  morning,  he  was  at  Ms  book  most  diligently. 
And  besides  this,  how  careful  he  was  for  the  preservation  of 
the  church  of  God,  and  for  the  good  success  of  the  gospel, 
they  can  bear  record,  winch  at  that  time  were  in  authority  ; 
whom  continually  by  Ins  letters  he  admonished  of  their  duties, 
and  assisted  with  his  godly  counsel.  But  when  the  time  ap- 
proached, the  winch  God  had  appointed  for  the  punishment 
of  the  carnal  gospellers  and  hypocrites  which  most  wickedly 
abused  the  same,  how  faithfully  he  did  admonish,  both  pri- 
vately and  openly,  all  kinds  of  men,  they  that  were  then 
m.  Hugh      about  him  can  bear  record.     But  one  thing  amongst  others  is 

Latimer,  >  .  . 

preacher  and  principally  to  be  noted,  that  God  not  only  gave  unto  him  his 
';ro<i!hct  of  Spirit  most  plenteously  and  comfortably  to  preach  his  word 
unto  his  church,  but  also  by  the  same  Spirit  he  did  most  evi- 
dently prophesy  of  all  those  kinds  of  plagues,  which  in  very 
deed  afterwards  ensued ;  so  plainly,  I  say,  as  though  he  had 
seen  them  before  his  eyes  :  so  that,  if  England  ever  had  a 


DEDICATION.  321 

prophet,  ho  was  one :  and  amongst  other  things  he  ever  af- 
firmed that  the  preaching  .of  the  gospel  would  cost  him  his 
life,  to  the  which  thing  he  did  most  cheerfully  arm  and  pre- 
pare himself,  being  certainly  persuaded  that  Winchester1  was 

kept  in  the  Tower  for  the  same  purpose.     Therefore  not  long  a  note 

*  i  •      i  .  ^  worthy  to  be- 

after   queen    Mary  was    proclaimed,  a  pursuivant   was   sent  noted. 

down  into  the  country  for  to  call  him  up ;  of  whose  coming 
when  he  was  made  ware  about  six  hours  before  by  a  faithful 
man  of  God,  John  Careless2,  (a  man  worthy  of  everlasting 
memory,)  he  prepared  himself  towards  his  journey  before  the 
said  pursuivant  came  to  his  house.  At  the  which  thing  when 
the  pursuivant  marvelled,  seeing  him  so  prepared  towards  his 
journey,  he  said  unto  him,  "  My  friend,  you  be  a  welcome 
messenger  to  me;  and  be  it  known  unto  you  and  to  the  whole 
world,  that  I  go  as  willingly  to  London  at  this  present,  being 
called  by  my  prince  to  render  a  reckoning  of  my  doctrine,  as 
ever  I  was  to  any  place  in  the  world ;  and  I  do  not  doubt 
but  that  God,  as  he  hath  made  me  worthy  to  preach  his 
word  before  two  excellent  princes,  so  he  will  able  me  to  wit- 
ness the  same  unto  the  third,  either  to  her  comfort,  or  dis- 
comfort eternally,  &c."  At  the  which  time  the  pursuivant, 
when  he  had  delivered  his  letters,  departed;  affirming  that  he 
had  commandment  not  to  tarry  for  him :  by  whose  sudden 
departure  it  was  manifest,  that  they  would  not  have  had  him 
to  appear,  but  rather  to  have  fled  out  of  the  realm.  They 
knew  that  his  constantness  should  confound  them  in  their 
popery,  and  confirm  the  godly  in  the  truth.  As  concerning  Note  this 
the  manner  and  form  how  he  was  entertained  when  he  came  history. 
before  the  council,  how  stoutly  he  did  behave  himself  in 
Christ's  cause,  and  was  content  to  bear  most  patiently  all  the 

[x  Stephen  Gardiner,  bishop  of  Winchester.  Early  in  the  reign  of 
king  Edward  VI.  this  prelate  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  civil 
authorities,  in  consequence  of  a  sermon  he  was  called  upon  to  preach  at 
Paul's  Cross.  He  was  afterwards  deprived  of  his  bishoprick  and  com- 
mitted to  the  Tower,  where  he  lay  a  prisoner  until  the  accession  of 
queen  Mary.  Godwin,  De  Prsesul.  edit.  Richardson,  p.  236 ;  Burnet, 
Hist,  of  Reform.  Vol.  n.  p.  150,  165.] 

[2  This  person  was  a  weaver  of  Coventry,  and  was  himself  a  sufferer 
for  his  adherence  to  the  Reformation.  After  being  for  two  years  in 
the  gaol  at  Coventry,  he  was  removed  to  the  Queen's  Bench  in  London, 
and  there  died  in  prison.  Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  Vol.  ra.  p.  598,  edit. 
1684.] 

r  i  21 

[latimer.J 


322  SERMONS    ON     THE    LORD^    PRAYER. 

mocks  and  taunts  given  him  by  the  scornful  and  pestilent 
papists ;  also,  how  patiently  he  took  his  imprisonment,  and 
how  boldly  and  willingly  he  in  the  end  adventured  his  life 
in  the  defence  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ;  because 
these  things  be  at  large  described  in  the  book  of  the  martyrs 
by  that  most  godly,  learned,  and  excellent  instrument  of  God, 
master  John  Foxe,  I  will  not  spend  the  time  now  to  rehearse 
the  same,  saving  one  thing,  the  which  I  would  wish  all  godly 
bishops  and  faithful  preachers  to  note,  the  which  is  this:  that 
he  being  in  prison,  comfortless  and  destitute  of  all  worldly 
help,  most  of  all  did  rejoice  in  this,  that  God  had  given  him 
grace  to  apply  his  office  of  preaching,  and  assisted  hirn  without 
fear  or  flattery  to  tell  unto  the  wicked  their  faults,  and  ad- 
monish them  of  their  wickedness ;  neither  allowing,  nor  con- 
senting to  any  thing  that  might  be  prejudicial  or  hurtful  unto 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  although  the  refusal  thereof  did  cast  him 
in  danger  of  his  life.  God  grant  that  all  those  that  be  in  that 
office  may  follow  his  footsteps ;  and  that  the  rest,  that  either 
refuse  to  take  pains,  or  are  given  to  flatter,  may  be  turned 
out,  and  be  set  to  the  cart  or  plough,  and  others  put  into 
their  rooms  that  be  willing,  diligent,  and  able  to  do  their 
duties ! 

The  other  thing  that  I  would  have  noticed,  is  his  earnest- 
ness and  diligence  in  prayer,  wherein  oftentimes  so  long  he 
continued  kneeling,  that  he  was  not  able  for  to  rise  without 
help ;  and  amongst  other  things,  these  were  three  principal 
Threenotabie  matters  he  prayed  for.     The  first,  that  as  God  had  appointed 

things  to  be 

noted  m  this  him  to  be  a  preacher  and  professor  of  his  word,  so  also  he 

reverend  *  * 

father.  would  give  him  grace  to  stand  unto  his  doctrine  until  his 
death.  The  other  thing,  the  winch  most  instantly  with  great 
violence  of  God's  Spirit  he  desired,  was  that  God  of  his  mercy 
would  restore  the  gospel  of  his  son  Christ  unto  this  realm  of 
England  once  again.  And  these  words  "  once  again,  once 
again,"  he  did  so  inculcate  and  beat  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord 
God,  as  though  he  had  seen  God  before  him,  and  spake  unto 
him  face  to  face.  The  third  principal  matter  wherewith  in 
his  prayers  he  was  occupied  was,  to  pray  for  the  preservation 
of  the  queen's  Majesty  that  now  is ;  whom  in  Ins  prayer 
accustomably  he  was  wont  to  name,  and  even  with  tears  de- 
sired God  to  make  her  a  comfort  to  this  comfortless  realm 
of  England.     These  were  the  matters  he  prayed  for  so  earn- 


DEDICATION.  323 

estly :  but  were  these  things  desired  in  vain  ?  Did  God  de- 
spise the  prayers  of  this  his  faitliful  soldier  ?  No,  assuredly  ; 
for  the  Lord  did  most  graciously  grant  all  these  his  requests. 
First,  concerning  profession,  even  in  the  most  extremity,  the 
Lord  graciously  assisted  him :  for  when  he  stood  at  the  stake, 
without  Bocardo  gate  at  Oxford,  and  the  tormentors  about  to 
set  the  fire  upon  him  and  that  most  reverend  father  Doctor 
Ridley;  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  towards  heaven  with  a  most 
amiable  and  comfortable  countenance,  saying  these  words, 
Fidelis  est  Deus,  qui  non  sinit  nos  tentari  supra  id  quod 
possumus ;  "  God  is  faithful,  which  doth  not  suifer  us  to  be 
tempted  above  our  strength :"  and  so  afterwards  by  and  by 
shed  his  blood  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  The  which  blood  ran 
out  of  his  heart  in  such  abundance,  that  all  those  that  were 
present,  being  godly,  did  marvel  to  see  the  most  part  of  the 
blood  in  his  body  so  to  be  gathered  to  his  heart,  and  with 
such  violence  to  gush  out,  his  body  being  opened  by  the  force 
of  the  fire.  By  the  which  thing  God  most  graciously  granted 
his  request,  the  winch  was,  to  shed  his  heart's  blood  in  the 
defence  of  the  gospel.  How  mercifully  the  Lord  heard  his 
second  request,  in  restoring  his  gospel  once  again  to  this 
realm,  these  present  days  can  bear  record.  But,  alas !  what 
shall  England  say  for  her  defence,  how  shall  she  avoid  the 
terrible  plagues  of  God  for  the  horrible  and  devilish  unthank- 
fulness  for  that  treasure  ?     The  Lord  be  merciful  unto  us  ! 

Now  concerning  his  third  request,  it  was  also  most  ef- 
fectuously  granted  to  the  great  praise  of  God,  the  furtherance 
of  his  gospel,  and  to  the  unspeakable  comfort  of  this  realm. 
For  when  matters  were  even  desperate,  and  the  enemies 
mightily  flourished  and  triumphed,  God's  word  banished, 
Spaniards  received;  suddenly  the  Lord  called  to  remem- 
brance his  mercy,  and  made  an  end  of  all  these  miseries, 
and  appointed  her,  for  whom  that  same  grey-headed  father 
Latimer  so  earnestly  prayed  in  his  captivity,  as  the  true  and 
natural  ruler,  and  owner  of  this  imperial  crown,  to  shew  her- 
self;  and  by  the  brightness  of  God's  word  to  confound  the 
dark,  devilish,  and  vile  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  and  to  restore 
the  temple  of  God  again.  The  which  thing  not  this  faithful 
prophet  only,  but  all  the  rest  whom  God  made  worthy  to  be 
his  witnesses,  did  most  earnestly  require  and  desire  in  their 
faithful  prayers.    The  selfsame  God  grant  unto  every  faithful 

21—2 


324  SERMONS    ON    THE    LORd's    PRAYER. 

Christian  his  Spirit,  that  they  may  be  diligent  and  watcliful 
in  prayers  for  her,  by  whom  God  hath  bestowed  such  un- 
speakable gifts  upon  us,  that  the  same  God  will  assist  her 
with  his  grace  and  holy  Spirit  to  proceed  faithfully  in  the 
building  of  his  house,  and  in  plucking  down  of  all  kinds  of 
sin  and  wickedness,  superstition,  idolatry,  and  all  the  monu- 
ments of  the  same,  to  the  glory  of  his  name,  and  her  ever- 
lasting and  endless  comfort !  To  the  which  faithful  prayers 
that  all  they  which  fear  God  may  be  the  better  encouraged, 
I  have  set  forth  these  sermons,  made  by  this  holy  man  of 
God,  and  dedicated  them  to  your  grace;  partly,  because  they 
were  preached  in  your  grace's  house  at  Grimsthorp  by  this 
reverend  father  and  faithful  prophet  of  God,  whom  you  did 
nourish,  and  whose  doctrine  you  did  most  faithfully  embrace, 
to  the  praise  of  God,  and  unspeakable  comfort  of  all  godly 
hearts :  the  which  did  with  great  admiration  marvel  at  the 
a  great  com-  excellent  gifts  of  God,  bestowed  upon  your  grace,  in  giving 

nundationof  °  .■,..'* 

of sutibik8  unto  you  SUC^  a  Prmcety  spirit,  by  whose  power  and  virtue 
you  were  able  to  overcome  the  world,  to  forsake  your  pos- 
sessions, lands,  and  goods,  your  worldly  friends,  and  native 
country,  your  high  estate  and  estimation,  with  the  which  you 
were  adorned,  and  to  become  an  exile  for  Christ  and  his  gos- 
pel's sake ;  to  choose  rather  to  suffer  adversity  with  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  the  world  with  a 
wicked  conscience ;  esteeming  the  rebukes  of  Christ  greater 
riches  than  the  treasures  of  England.  Whereas  the  world- 
lings are  far  otherwise  minded ;  for  they  have  their  pleasures 
amongst  the  pots  of  Egypt :  they  eat,  drink,  and  make  merry, 
not  passing  what  become  of  Christ  or  his  gospel ;  they  be  so 
drunken  with  the  sweet  delicates  of  this  miserable  world,  that 
they  will  not  taste  of  the  bitter  morsels  which  the  Lord  hath 
appointed  and  prepared  for  his  chosen  children  and  especial 
friends.  Of  the  wliich  he  did  make  you  most  graciously  to 
taste,  giving  unto  your  grace  his  Spirit,  that  you  were  able 
in  all  the  turmoils  and  grievances  the  which  you  did  receive, 
not  only  at  the  hands  of  those  wliich  were  your  professed 
enemies,  but  also  at  the  hands  of  them  which  pretended 
friendship  and  good-will,  but  secretly  wrought  sorrow  and 
mischief,  to  be  quiet  and  patient,  and  in  the  end  brought 
your  grace  home  again  into  your  native  comitry ;  no  doubt 
to  no  other  end,  but  that  you  should  be  a  comfort  unto  the 


DEDICATION.  325 

comfortless,  and  an  instrument  by  the  which  his  holy  name 
should  be  praised,  and  his  gospel  propagated  and  spread 
abroad,  to  the  glory  of  his  holy  name,  and  your  eternal 
comfort  in  Christ  Jesus :  unto  whose  merciful  hands  I  commit 
your  grace  with  all  yours  eternally.     Amen. 

From  Southam,  the  2nd  of  October,  [1562.] 


326  THE    FIRST    SERMON  [sERM. 


CERTAIN  SERMONS  MADE  BY  THE  RIGHT  REVEREND   FA- 

THER  IN  GOD,   MASTER  DOCTOR  LATIMER,   BEFORE 

THE  RIGHT  VIRTUOUS  AND  HONOURABLE  LADY 

KATHERINE,    DUCHESS   OF    SUFFOLK,    IN 

THE  YEAR  OF  OUR  LORD,  15521. 


[MATTHEW  VI.  9.] 
Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven. 

a  preface  I  have  entered  of  late  in  the  way  of  preaching,  and 

prayer'ofour  spoken  many  tilings  of  prayer,  and  rather  of  prayer  than  of 
Theex-  any  other  tiling  :  for  I  think  there  is  nothing  more  necessary 
the  Lords     to  be  spoken  of,  nor  more  abused  than  prayer  was  by  the 

prayer,  called  -i  -i     «i  n  i  • 

the  Pater-     craft  and  subtilty  of  the  devil :  for  many  things  were  taken 

noster,  «/  '     t  *  O 

for  prayer  when  they  were  nothing  less.  Therefore  at  this 
same  time  also  I  have  thought  it  good  to  entreat  of  prayer, 
to  the  intent  that  it  might  be  known  how  precious  a  thing 
right  prayer  is.     I  told  you, 

First,  What  prayer  is. 

Secondarily,  To  whom  we  ought  to  pray. 

Thirdly,  Where,  and  in  what  place  we  ought  to  pray.  And, 

Fourthly,  I  told  you  the  diversity  of  prayer,  namely,  of 
the  common  prayer,  and  the  private. 

These  and  such  like  things  I  have  dilated  and  expounded 
unto  you  in  the  open  pulpit. 

Now  at  this  present  time  I  intend  as  by  the  way  of  a 
lecture,  at  the  request  of  my  most  gracious  lady,  to  expound 
unto  you,  her  household  servants,  and  other  that  be  willing 
to  hear,  the  right  understanding  and  meaning  of  this  most 
perfect  prayer  which  our  Saviour  himself  taught  us,  at  the 
request  of  his  disciples,  which  prayer  we  call  the  Paternoster. 
Note  here  This  prayer  of  our  Lord  may  be  called  a  prayer  above  all 
prayers ;  the  principal  and  most  perfect  prayer ;  which  prayer 
ought  to  be  regarded  above  all  others,  considering  that  our 
Saviour  himself  is  the  author  of  it ;  he  was  the  maker  of  this 

[x  In  the  Hall  at  Grimsthorpe  Castle,  Lincolnshire.] 


what  prayer 


XVII.]  ON     THE     LORD'S    PRAYER.  327 

prayer,  being  very  God  and  very  man8.  He  taught  us  this 
prayer,  which  is  a  most  perfect  schoolmaster,  and  commanded 
us  to  say  it :  which  prayer  containeth  great  and  wonderful 
things,  if  a  learned  man  had  the  handling  of  it.  But  as  for 
me,  such  tilings  as  I  have  conceived  by  the  reading  of  learned 
men's  books,  so  far  forth  as  God  will  give  me  his  grace  and 
Spirit,  I  will  shew  unto  you  touching  the  very  meaning  of  it, 
and  what  is  to  be  understood  by  every  word  contained  in  this 
prayer ;  for  there  is  no  word  idle  or  spoken  in  vain.  For  it 
must  needs  be  perfect,  good,  and  of  great  importance,  being 
our  Saviour's  teaching,  which  is  the  wisdom  of  God  itself. 
There  be  many  other  psalms  and  prayers  in  scripture  very 
good  and  godly ;  and  it  is  good  to  know  them :  but  it  is 
with  this  prayer,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  I  say,  like  as  with  the 
law  of  love.  All  the  laws  of  Moses,  as  concerning  what  is  to 
be  done  to  please  God,  how  to  walk  before  him  uprightly 
and  godly,  all  such  laws  are  contained  in  this3  law  of  love,  Theabridg- 

t-ww  V-»         •  T-i  7  •  mentofthe 

Diliges  Dominium  JJeum  tuum  ex  toto  corae  tuo,  et  in  fota  law  of  God. 
anima  tua,  et  in  tota  mente  tua;  et  proximum  sicut  teipsum: 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  with 
all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind ;  and  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself."  Even  so  is  it  with  this  prayer.  For  like  as  the 
law  of  love  is  the  sum  and  abridgment  of  the  other  laws,  so 
this  prayer  is  the  sum  and  abridgment  of  all  other  prayers : 
all  the  other  prayers  are  contained  in  this  prayer;  yea,  what- 
soever mankind  hath  need  of  to  soul  and  body,  that  same  is 
contained  in  this  prayer. 

This  prayer  hath  two  parts :  it  hath  a  preface,  which 
some  call  a  salutation  or  a  loving  entrance ;  secondarily,  the 
prayer  itself.  The  entrance  is  this :  Cum  oratis,  dicite, 
Pater  noster,  qui  es  in  ccelis ;  "When  ye  pray,  say,  Our  Matt.  vi. 
Father,  which  art  in  heaven."  As  who  should  say,  "You 
christian  people,  you  that  bear  the  name  of  Christians,  must4 
pray  so." 

Before  I  go  any  further,  I  must  put  you  in  remembrance 
to  consider  how  much  we  be  bound  to  our  Saviour  Christ, 
that  he  would  vouchsafe  to  teach  us  to  pray,  and  in  this 
prayer  to  signify  unto  us  the  good-will  which  our  heavenly 
Father  beareth  towards  us.     Now  to  the  matter. 

[2  and  man,  1584.]  p  the,  1562.] 

[*  you  must,  1562.] 


.'328 


THE     FIRST     SERMON 


[sERM. 


The  entrance 
into  prayer. 


What  it  is  to 
call  God 
Father. 


What  Christ 
meant  by 
teaching  us 
to  call  God 
Father. 


No  word  in 
this  prayer 
lacketh  his 
weight. 


Note  what 
lip-labour  is. 


"Our  Father."  These  words  pertain  not  to  the  petitions: 
the j  be  but  an  entering,  a  seeking  favour  at  God's  hand:  yet 
if  we  well  weigh  and  consider  them,  they  admonish  us  of 
many  things  and  strengthen  our  faith  wondrous  well.  For 
this  word,  "  Father,"  signifieth  that  we  be  Christ's  brothers, 
and  that  God  is  our  Father.  He  is  the  eldest  Son  :  he  is  the 
Son  of  God  by  nature,  we  be  his  sons  by  adoption  through  his 
goodness ;  therefore  he  biddeth  us  to  call  him  our  Father ; 
which  is  to  be  had  in  fresh  memory  and  great  reputation. 
For  here  we  are  admonished  how  that  we  be  reconciled  unto 
God ;  we,  which  before-times  were  his  enemies,  are  made  now 
the  children  of  God,  and  inheritors  of  everlasting  life.  This 
we  be  admonished  by  this  word,  "  Father."  So  that  it  is  a 
word  of  much  importance  and  great  reputation :  for  it  con- 
firmeth  our  faith,  when  we  call  him  Father.  Therefore  our 
Saviour,  when  he  teacheth  us  to  call  God  "  Father,"  teacheth 
us  to  understand  the  fatherly  aifection  which  God  beareth 
towards  us ;  which  thing  maketh  us  bold  and  hearty  to  call 
upon  him,  knowing  that  he  beareth  a  good-will  towards  us, 
and  that  he  will  surely  hear  our  prayers.  When  we  be  in 
trouble,  we  doubt  of  a  stranger,  whether  he  will  help  us  or 
not :  but  our  Saviour  commanding  us  to  call  God,  "  Father," 
teacheth  us  to  be  assured  of  the  love  and  good-will  of  God 
toward  us.  So  by  this  word  "  Father,"  we  learn  to  stablish 
and  to  comfort  our  faith,  knowing  most  assuredly  that  he  will 
be  good  unto  us.  For  Christ  was  a  perfect  schoolmaster:  he 
lacked  no  wisdom :  he  knew  his  Father's  will  and  pleasure  ; 
he  teacheth  us,  yea,  and  most  certainly  assureth  us,  that  God 
will  be  no  cruel  judge,  but  a  loving  Father.  Here  we  see 
what  commodities  we  have  in  this  word,  "  Father." 

Seeing  now  that  we  find  such  commodities  by  this  one 
word,  we  ought  to  consider  the  whole  prayer  with  great  dili- 
gence and  earnest  mind.  For  there  is  no  word  nor  letter  con- 
tained in  this  prayer,  but  it  is  of  great  importance1  and  weight; 
and  therefore  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  know  and  understand  it 
thoroughly,  and  then  to  speak  it  considerately  with  great  de- 
votion :  else  it  is  to  no  purpose  to  speak  the  words  without 
understanding ;  it  is  but  lip-labour  and  vain  babbling,  and  so 
unworthy  to  be  called  prayer;  as  it  was  in  times  past  used  in 
England.  Therefore  when  you  say  this  prayer,  you  must 
['  importance;  and  therefore,  1584.] 


XVII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S     PRAYER.  329 

well  consider  what  you  say  :  for  it  is  better  once  said  de- 
liberately with  understanding,  than  a  thousand  times  without 
understanding :  which  is  in  very  deed  but  vain  babbling,  and 
so  more  a  displeasure  than  pleasure  unto  God.  For  the  mat- 
ter lieth  not  in  much  saying,  but  in  well  saying.  So,  if  it  be 
said  to  the  honour  of  God,  then  it  hath  his  effect,  and  we 
shall  have  our  petitions.  For  God  is  true  in  his  promises : 
and  our  Saviour,  knowing  him  to  be  well  affected  towards  us, 
commandeth  us  therefore  to  call  him  Father. 

Here  you  must  understand,  that  like  as  our  Saviour  was 
most  earnest  and  fervent  in  teaching  us  how  to  pray,  and  call 
upon  God  for  aid  and  help,  and  for  things  necessary  both  to 
our  souls  and  bodies;  so  the  devil,  that  old  serpent,  with  no  Thedeviiis 

A  diligent  to  let 

less  diligence  endeavoureth  himself  to  let  and  stop  our  prayers,  prayer, 
so  that  we  shall  not  call  upon  God.  And  amongst  other  his 
lets,  he  hath  one  especially  wherewith  he  thinketh  to  keep  us 
from  prayer,  which  is,  the  remembrance  of  our  sins.  When 
he  perceiveth  us  to  be  disposed  to  pray,  he  cometh  with  his 
craft  and  subtile  conveyances,  saying,  "  What,  wilt  thou  pray  The  sieight* 
unto  God  for  aid  and  help  ?  Knowest  thou  not  that  thou  art 
a  wicked  sinner,  and  a  transgressor  of  the  law  of  God?  Look 
rather  to  be  damned,  and  judged  for  thy  ill  doings,  than  to 
receive  any  benefit  at  his  hands.  Wilt  thou  call  him  'Father/ 
winch  is  so  holy  a  God,  and  thou  art  so  wicked  and  miser- 
able a  sinner?"  Tins  the  devil  will  say,  and  trouble  our 
minds,  to  stop  and  let  us  from  our  prayer ;  and  so  to  give  us 
occasion  not  to  pray  unto  God.  In  this  temptation  we  must 
seek  for  some  remedy  and  comfort:  for  the  devil  doth  put  us 
in  remembrance  of  our  sins  to  that  end,  to  keep  us  from 
prayer  and  invocation  of  God.  The  remedy  for  this  tempta- 
tion is  to  call  our  Saviour  to  remembrance,  who  hath  taught 
us  to  say  this  prayer.  He  knew  his  Father's  pleasure ;  he 
knew  what  he  did.  When  he  commanded  us  to  call  God  our 
Father,  he  knew  we  should  find  fatherly  affections  in  God 
towards  us.  Call  this,  I  say,  to  remembrance,  and  again  re- 
member that  our  Saviour  hath  cleansed  through  his  passion 
all  our  sins,  and  taken  away  all  our  wickedness  ;  so  that  as  as  many  as 
many  as  believe  in  him  shall  be  the  children  of  God.  In  Christ 
such  wise  let  us  strive  and  fight  against  the  temptations  of  the 
devil ;  which  would  not  have  us  to  call  upon  God,  because  we 
be  sinners.      Catch  thou  hold  of  our  Saviour,  believe  in  him, 


believe  in 
are 
ldren 


330  THE    FIRST    SERMON  [sERM. 

be  assured  in  thy  heart  that  he  with  his  suffering  took  away 
all  thy  sins.  Consider  again,  that  our  Saviour  calleth  us  to 
prayer,  and  commandeth  us  to  pray.  Our  sins  let  us,  and 
withdraw  us  from  prayer;  but  our  Saviour  maketh  them 
when  we      no  thing  :  when  we  believe  in  him,  it  is  like  as  if  we  had  no 

have  faith  in      .  °  ,  .   .  . 

Christ,  then   sms.     r  or  he  changeth  with   us :    he  taketh   our   sins  and 

our  sins  are  °  .  ... 

no  burden     wickedness  from  us,  and  giveth  unto  us  his  holiness,  rio;hteous- 

unto  us.  ©  '       o 

ness,  justice,  fulfilling  of  the  law,  and  so,  consequently,  ever- 
lasting life :  so  that  we  be  like  as  if  we  had  done  no  sin  at 
all;  for  his  righteousness  standeth  us  in  so  good  stead,  as 
though  we  of  our  own  selves  had  fulfilled  the  law  to  the 
uttermost.  Therefore  our  sins  cannot  let  us,  nor  withdraw 
us  from  prayer :  for  they  be  gone ;  they  are  no  sins ;  they 
cannot  be  hurtful  unto  us.  Christ  dying  for  us,  as  all  the 
scripture,  both  of  the  new  and  old  Testament,  witnesseth, 

isai.  liii.  Dolores  nostros  ipse  portavit,  "  He  hath  taken  away  our 
sorrows."  Like  as  when  I  owe  unto  a  man  an  hundred 
pound :  the  day  is  expired,  he  will  have  his  money ;  I  have 
it  not,  and  for  lack  of  it  I  am  laid  in  prison.  In  such  dis- 
tress cometh  a  good  friend,  and  saith,  "  Sir,  be  of  good  cheer, 
I  will  pay  thy  debts;"  and  forthwith  payeth  the  whole  sum, 

chnst  hath    and  setteth  me  at  liberty.     Such  a  friend  is  our  Saviour.    He 

ransomed  « 

paM  ourand  natn  Pa^  our  debts,  and  set  us  at  liberty ;  else  we  should 
debts.  have  been  damned  world  without  end  in  everlasting  prison 

and  darkness.     Therefore,  though  our  sins  condemn  us,  yet 
when  we  allege  Christ  and  believe  in  him,  our  sins  shall  not 
i  John  ii.      hurt  us<     por  g£  John  saith,  Si  quis  peceaverit,  advocation 
habemus  apud  Pair  em,  Jesum  Christum,  justum,  "  We  have 
an  advocate  with  God  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous." 
Mark  that1  he  saith,  Advocatum,  non  advocatos.     He  speak- 
onirisad!our  etn   smgularly,  not  plurally.     We  have   one  advocate,  not 
vocate.         many ;  neither  saints,  nor  any  body  else,  but  only  him,  and 
none  other,  neither  by  the  way  of  mediation,  nor  by  the  way 
of  redemption.     He  only  is  sufficient,  for  he  only  is  all  the 
doer.     Let  him  have  all  the  whole  praise !     Let  us  not  with- 
draw from  him  his  majesty,  and  give  it  to  creatures :  for  he 
only  satisfieth  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world ;   so  that  all 
that  believe  in  Christ  be  clean  from  all  the  filthiness  of  their 
sins.     For  St  John  Baptist  saith,  JScce  Agnus  Dei  qui  tollit 
johnt.        peccata   mundi,  "Behold  the   Lamb  of  God  which   taketh 

[i  what,  1584.] 


XVII.]  ON    THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  331 

away  the  sins  of  the  world."     Doth  the  devil  call  thee  from 
prayer?    Christ  calleth  thee  unto  it  again:  for  so  it  is  written, 
In  hoc  apparuit  Filius  Dei,  ut  destruat  opera  diaboli;  "To 
that  end  the  Son  of  God  appeared,  to  destroy  the  works  of *  John  m. 
the  devil." 

But  mark   here :   scripture   speaketh  not   of  impenitent 
sinners ;  Christ  suffered  not  for  them :  his  death  remedieth  Christ  suffer- 
not  their  sins.     For  they   be  the   bondmen   of   the   devil,  impenitent 

J  .  sinners. 

and  his  slaves;   and  therefore  Christ's  benefits  pertain  not 

unto  them.     It  is  a  wonderful  saying   that   St   John  hath, 

"  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 

world."     The   devil   saith  unto   me,  "  Thou  art   a  sinner." 

"  No2,"  saith  St  John,  "  the  Lamb  of  God  hath  taken  away 

thy  sins."     Item,  Habentes  igitur  Pontificem  magnum  qui 

penetravit  coelos,  Jesum  Filium  Dei,  accedamus  cum  fidu- 

cia   ad   thronum  gratia,  ut  consequamur  misericordiam ; 

"We  therefore    having    a    great    high   Priest,   which  hath  Jjjf*^^ 

passed  through  the  heavens,  even  Jesus  the   Son   of  God, 

let  us  with  boldness  go   unto   the  seat   of  his   grace,   that 

we  may  obtain  mercy."     0,  it  is  a  comfortable  thing  that  we  Heb.iv. 

have  an  access  unto  God !     Esay  saith,  In  livore  ejus  sanati  un. 

sumus;  "The  pain  of  our  punishment  was  laid  upon  him,  and 

with    his    stripes    are   we    healed."      Further,    in    the    new 

Testament  we  read,  Hide  omnes  prophetm  testimonium  per- 

hibent,   remissionem  peccatorum   accipere  per   nomen  ejus 

omnes  qui  credunt  in  eum;  "Unto  the  same  bear  all  pro- ah  the 

2  '  x  prophets 

phets  witness,  that  all  they  do  receive  forgiveness  of  sms  by  £^ of 
his  name,  which  believe  on  him."  Actsx. 

Now  you  see  how  ye  be  remedied  from  your  sins ; 
you  hear  how  you  shall  withstand  the  devil,  when  he  will 
withdraw  you  from  prayer.  Let  us  therefore  not  give  over 
prayer,  but  stick  unto  it.  Let  us  rather  believe  Christ 
our  Saviour  than  the  devil,  which  was  a  liar  from  the  begin- 
ning. You  know  now  how  you  may  prevent  him,  how  you 
may  put  him  off  and  avoid  his  temptations. 

There  is  one  other  addition  afore  we  come  to  the  peti- 
tions, which  doth  much  confirm  our  faith  and  increase 
the  same  :  Qui  es  in  coelis,  "  which  art  in  heaven."     These  A  great 

diversity 


heavenly 

temporal   fathers   which  " 
[2  Yea,  1584.] 


temporal  fathers.     There  be   some   temporal  fathers   which  ^hteemporai 


332  THE    FIRST    SERMON  [sERM. 

would  fain  help  their  children,  but  they  cannot ;  they  be  not 
able  to  help  them.  Again,  there  be  some  fathers  which  are 
rich,  and  might  help  their  children,  but  they  be  so  unnatural, 
they  will  not  help  them.  But  our  heavenly  Father,  in  that 
we  call  him,  "  Father,"  we  learn  that  he  will  help,  that 
he  beareth  a  fatherly  love  towards  us. 

"  In  heaven."     Here  we  learn  that  he  is  able  to  help 
us,  to  give  us  all  good  things  necessary  to  soul  and  body ; 
and  is  mighty  to  defend  us  from  all  ill  and  peril.      So  it  ap- 
peareth  that  he  is  a  Father  which  will  help ;  and  that  he 
being  celestial,  he1  is  able  to  help  us.     Therefore  we  may 
have  a  boldness  and  confidence,  that  he  may  help  us :  and 
that  he  will  help  us,  where  and  whensoever  we  call,  he  saith, 
jcr.  xxiii.      Caelum  et  terram  impleo,   "  I  fill  heaven  and  earth."     And 
again,  Caelum  mild  sedes  est,  et  terra  scabellum  pedum  meo- 
isai.  iwi.      rum ;  "  Heaven  is  my  seat,  and  the  earth  is  my  footstool." 
Where  we  see,  that  he  is  a  mighty  God ;  that  he  is  in  heaven 
and  earth,  with   his   power  and   might.      In   heaven  he  is 
apparently,    where   face    to    face    he    sheweth  himself  unto 
whyfiodis  his  angels  and  saints.       In  earth  he  is  not  so  apparently, 
rent?yupon   but  darkly,  and  obscurely  he  exhibiteth  himself  unto  us ;  for 
our  corrupt  and   feeble  flesh   could   not   bear   his  majesty. 
Yet  he  filleth  the  earth ;  that  is  to  say,  he  ruleth  and  govern- 
eth  the  same,  ordering  all  things  according  unto  his  will  and 
pleasure.      Therefore  we  must  learn  to  persuade   ourselves, 
and  undoubtedly  believe,  that  he  is  able  to  help ;  and  that 
he  beareth  a  good  and  fatherly  will  towards  us ;  that  he  will 
not  forget  us.     Therefore  the  king  and  prophet  David  saith, 
Psai.  liii.      Dominus  de  ccelo  prospexit,   "  The   Lord   hath   seen  down 
from  heaven."     As   far   as   the   earth   is  from  the  heaven, 
yet  God  looketh  down,  he  seeth  all  things,  he  is  in  every 
corner.    He  saith,  The  Lord  hath  looked  down,  not  the  saints. 
The  saints     No,  he  saith  not  so  ;  for  the  saints  have  not  so  sharp  eyes  to 
from  heaven,  see  down  from  heaven:  they  be  pur-blind2,  and  sand-blind, 
they  cannot  see  so  far ;  nor  have  not  so  long  ears  to  hear. 
And  therefore  our  petition  and  prayer  should  be  unto  him, 
which  will  hear  and  can  hear.     For   it  is   the   Lord  that 
looketh  clown.     He   is  here  in   earth,  as  I  told  you,  very 
darkly ;  but  he  is  hi  heaven  most  manifestly ;  where  he  shew- 
eth himself  unto  Ins  angels  and  saints  face  to  face.     "We  read 
[i  which,  1562.]  p  spur-blind,  1562.] 


XVII.]  ON    THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  338 

in  scripture,  that  Abel's  blood  did  cry  unto  God.      Where  Gen.  iv. 
it   appeareth  that  he   can  hear,    yea,   not    only  hear,    but  God  heard 
also   see,   and  feel :  for   he   seeth   over  all  things,   so   that Abels bIood- 
the  least  thought  of  our  hearts  is  not  hid  from  him.     There- 
fore ponder  and  consider  these  words  well,  for  they  fortify 
our  faith.    We  call  him  "  Father,"  to  put  ourselves  in  remem- 
brance of  his  good-will   towards  us.     "Heavenly"  we  call 
him,   signifying   his  might  and   power,   that   he   may   help 
and   do  all  things  according  to  his  will  and  pleasure.      So 
it  appeareth  most  manifestly,  that  there  lacketh  neither  good- 
will nor  power  in  him.     There  was  once  a  prophet,  which, 
when  he  was  ill  entreated   of  king  Joash,    said,   Dominus 
videat  et  requirat;  "The  Lord  look  upon  it,  and  requite  it."  aenron. 
There  be  many  men  in  England,  and  other  where  else,  which  X!" 
care  not  for  God,  yea,  they  be  clean  without  God ;  which  say 
in  their  hearts,  Nubes  latibulum  ejus,  nee  nostra  considered, 
et  circa  cardines  cozli  ambulat:  "Tush,  the  clouds  cover  him  Jobxxn. 
that  he  may  not  see,   and  he  dwelleth  above  in  heaven." 
But,  as  I  told  you  before,  Abel's  blood  may  certify  of  his 
present  knowledge.     Let  us  therefore  take  heed  that  we  do 
nothing   that  might    displease   his   majesty,   neither   openly 
nor  secretly  :   for  he  is  every  where,  and  nothing   can   be 
hid    from    him.      Videt    et   requiret,    "  He   seeth,   and   will 
punish  it." 

Further  _,  this  word  "  Father"  is  not  only  apt  and  con-  Another 
venient  for  us  to  strengthen  our  faith  withal,  as  I  told  you ;  S?  tiiTword 
but  also  it  moveth  God  the  sooner  to  hear  us,  when  we  call 
him  by  that  name,  "  Father."     For  he,  perceiving  our  confi- 
dence in  him,  cannot  choose  but  shew  him  like  a  Father. 
So  that  this  word,  "  Father,"  is  most  meet  to  move  God  to 
pity  and  to  grant  our  requests.      Certain  it  is,  and  proved  by 
holy  scripture,  that  God  hath  a  fatherly  and  loving  affection  The  love  of 
towards  us,  far  passing  the  love  of  bodily  parents  to  their  us exi-'olti- 

•i  -rr  f  i  i  1     •  the  natural 

children.      Yea,  as  far  as  heaven  and  earth  is  asunder,  so  far  loveofpa- 

rents  to  their 

his  love  towards  mankind  exceedeth  the  love  of  natural ownchikire" 
parents  to  their  children :  which  love  is  set  out  by  the  mouth 
of  Ins  holy  prophet  Esay,  where  he  saith,  Num  oblivioni  xiix. 
tradet  mulier  infantem  suum,  quo  minus  misereatur  filii 
uteri  sui  ?  Et  si  obliviscatur  ilia,  ego  tamen  tui  non  obli- 
viscar:  "Can  a  wife  forget  the  child  of  her  womb,  and 
the  son  whom  she  hath  borne  ?     And  though  she  do  forget 


334 


THE     FIRST    SERMON 


[sERM. 


A  priest 
played  the 
midwife. 


False  tale- 
tellers are 
worthy  of 
punishment. 


M.  Bilney 
was  God's 
instrument 


Latimer  is 
converted 
bv  hearing 
Bilney': 


him,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee."     Here  are  shewed  the  affec- 
tions and  unspeakable  love  which  God  beareth  towards  us. 
He  saith,  Nunquid  -potest  mulier,  "  May  a  woman  ?"     He 
speaketh  of  the  woman,  meaning  the  man  too ;  but  because 
women  most  commonly  are  more  affected  towards  their  chil- 
dren than  men  be,  therefore  he  nameth  the  woman.     And  it 
is  a  very  unnatural  woman,  that  hateth  her  child,  or  neglect- 
eth  the  same.     But,  0  Lord,  what  crafts  and  conveyances 
useth  the  devil  abroad,   that  he  can   bring   his   matters   so 
to  pass,  that  some  women  set  aside  not  only  all  motherly 
affections,  but  also  all  natural  humanity,  insomuch  that  they 
kill  their  own  children,  their  own  blood  and  flesh !      I  was  a 
late  credibly  informed  of  a  priest,  which  had  taken  in  hand  to 
be  a  midwife.      0  what  an  abominable  thing  is  this !      But 
what  followed?  He  ordered  the  matter  so,  that  the  poor  inno- 
cent was  lost  in  the  mean  season.      Such  things  the  devil  can 
bring  to  pass;  but  what  then?    God  saith,  "Though  a  woman 
do  forget  her  children,  though  they  kill  them,  yet  will  I  not 
forget  .thee,  saith  the  Lord   God  Almighty."     Truth  it  is, 
there  be  some  women  very  unnatural  and  unkind,  which  shall 
receive  their  punishments  of  God  for  it ;  but  for  all  that,  we 
ought  to  beware  and  not  to  believe  every  tale  told  unto  us, 
and  so  rashly  judge.    I  know  what  I  mean.    There  hath  been 
a  late  such  tales  spread  abroad,  and  most  untruly.      Such  false 
tale-tellers  shall  have  a  grievous  punishment  of  the  Lord,  when 
he  shall  come  to  reward  every  one  according  unto  his  deserts. 
Here  I  have  occasion  to  tell  you  a  story  which  happened 
at  Cambridge.     Master  Bilney,  or  rather  Saint  Bilney,  that 
suffered  death  for  God's  word  sake;  the  same  Bilney  was 
the  instrument  whereby  God  called  me  to  knowledge;   for 
I  may  thank  him,  next  to  God,  for  that  knowledge  that  I 
have  in  the  word  of  God.     For  I  was  as  obstinate  a  papist 
as  any  was  in  England,  insomuch  that  when  I  should  be  made 
bachelor  of  divinity,  my  whole  oration  went  against  Philip 
Melancthon  and  against  his  opinions.     Bilney  heard  me  at 
that  time,  and  perceived  that  I  was  zealous  without  know- 
ledge :  and  he  came  to  me  afterward  in  my  study,  and  de- 
sired me,  for  God's  sake,  to  hear  his  confession.     I  did  so ; 
and,  to  say  the  truth,  by  his  confession  I  learned  more  than 
before1  in  many  years.      So  from  that  time  forward  I  began 
['  afore,  1562.] 


XVII.]  ON     THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  335 

to  smell  the  word  of  God,  and  forsook  the  school-doctors  and 
such  fooleries.  Now,  after  I  had  been  acquainted  with  him, 
I  went  with  him  to  visit  the  prisoners  in  the  tower  at  Cam- 
bridge ;  for  he  was  ever  visiting  prisoners  and  sick  folk.     So  Biiney-s 

o     '  O    I  exercise. 

we  went  together,  and  exhorted  them  as  well  as  we  were 
able  to  do ;  moving  them  to  patience,  and  to  acknowledge 
their  faults.     Among  other  prisoners,  there  was  a  woman 
which  was  accused  that  she  had  killed  her  own  child,  which 
act   she    plainly  and    stedfastly   denied,   and   could   not  be 
brought  to  confess  the  act ;  which  denying  gave  us  occasion 
to  search  for  the  matter,  and  so  we  did.     And  at  the  length 
we  found  that  her  husband  loved  her  not ;  and  therefore  he 
sought  means  to  make  her  out  of  the  way.     The  matter  was 
thus :  a  child  of  hers  had  been  sick  by  the  space  of  a  year,  Note  this 
and  so  decayed  as  it  were  in  a  consumption.     At  the  length 
it  died  in  harvest-time.      She  went  to  her  neighbours  and 
other  friends  to  desire  their  help,  to  prepare  the  child  to  the 
burial ;  but  there  was  nobody  at  home :  every  man  was  in 
the  field.     The  woman,  in  an  heaviness  and  trouble  of  spirit, 
went,  and  being  herself  alone,  prepared  the  child  to  the  burial. 
Her  husband  coming  home,  not  having  great  love  towards 
her,  accused  her  of  the  murder ;  and  so  she  was  taken  and 
brought  to  Cambridge.     But  as  far  forth  as  I  could  learn 
through  earnest  inquisition,  I  thought  in  my  conscience  the 
woman  was  not  guilty,  all  the  circumstances  well  considered. 
Immediately  after  this  I  was  called  to  preach  before  the  king,  He  meaneth 
which  was  my  first  sermon  that  I  made  before  his  majesty,  the  eighth, 
and  it  was  done  at  Windsor ;  where  his  majesty,  after  the 
sermon  was  done,  did  most  familiarly  talk  with  me  in  a  gallery. 
Now,  when  I  saw  my  time,  I  kneeled  down  before  his  majesty,  Note  the 
opening  the  whole  matter ;  and  afterwards  most  humblv  de-  frienreSf 
sired  his  majesty  to  pardon  that  woman.     lor  I  thought  in  that  made  his 
my  conscience  she  was  not  guilty ;  else  I  would  not  for  all  ^^™an's 
the  world  sue  for  a  murderer.     The  king  most  graciously  {|££*5£ 
heard  my  humble  request,   insomuch  that  I  had  a  pardon or  a  benefice- 
ready  for  her  at  my  return  homeward.     In  the  mean  season 
that  same  woman  was  delivered  of  a  child  in  the  tower  at 
Cambridge,  whose  godfather  I  was,  and  Mistress  Cheke2  was  Latimer  is 
godmother.      But  all  that  time  I  hid  my  pardon,  and  told  a  cima  bom 

°  c  i  i      'n  Pr'son- 

her  nothing  of  it,  only  exhorting  her  to  confess  the  truth. 
[2  This  lady  was  the  mother  of  Sir  John  Cheke.] 


336  THE    FIRST    SERRfON  [sERM. 

At  the  length  the  time  came  when  she  looked  to  suffer :  I 
came,  as  I  was  wont  to  do,  to  instruct  her ;  she  made  great 
moan  to  me,  and  most  earnestly  required  me  that  I  would 

An  ignorant  find  the  means  that  she  might  be  purified  before1  her  suffer- 
ing ;  for  she  thought  she  should  have  been  damned,  if  she 
should  suffer  without  purification.  Where  Master  Bilney  and 
I  told  her,  that  that  law  was  made  unto  the  Jews,  and  not 
unto  us ;  and  that  women  lying  in  child-bed  be  not  unclean 
before1  God;  neither  is  purification  used  to  that  end,  that 
it  should  cleanse  from  sin ;  but  rather  a  civil  and  politic  law, 
made  for  natural  honesty  sake ;  signifying,  that  a  woman 
before  the  time  of  her  purification,  that  is  to  say,  as  long  as 
she  is  a  green  woman,  is  not  meet  to  do  such  acts  as  other 
women,  nor  to  have  company  with  her  husband  :  for  it  is 
against  natural  honesty,  and  against  the  commonwealth.  To 
that  end  purification  is  kept  and  used,  not  to  make  a  super- 
stition or  holiness  of  it,  as  some  do ;  which  think  that  they 
may  not  fetch  neither  fire  nor  any  thing  in  that  house  where 
there  is  a  green  woman ;  which  opinion  is  erroneous  and 
wicked.      For  women,   as  I   said  afore,   be  as  well   in  the 

The  fruit  favour  of  God  before1  they  bo  purified  as  after.  So  we 
travailed  with  tins  woman  till  we  brought  her  to  a  good 
trade ;  and  at  the  length  shewed  her  the  king's  pardon,  and 
let  her  go. 

The  occasion  This  tale  I  told  you  by  this  occasion,  that  though  some 

ot  Latimer  s  J  <J  o 

tale.  women  be  very  unnatural,  and  forget  their  children,  yet  when 

we  hear  any  body  so  report,  we  should  not  be  too  hasty  in 
believing  the  tale,  but  rather  suspend  our  judgments  till  we 
know  the  truth.  And  again,  we  shall  mark  hereby  the  great 
love  and  loving-kindness  of  God  our  loving  Father,  who  shew- 
eth  himself  so  loving  unto  us,  that  notwithstanding  women 
forget  sometimes  their  own  natural  children,  yet  he  will  not 
forget  us ;  he  will  hear  us  when  we  call  upon  him ;  as  he 

Matt.  vii.  saith  by  the  evangelist  Matthew  :  "Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given 
unto  you ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you,''  &c.      Then  he  cometh  and  bringeth  in  a 

a  similitude,  pretty  similitude,  saying:   "Is  there  any  man  amongst  you, 

which,  if  his  son  ask  bread,  will  offer  him  a  stone  ?     If  ye 

then,"  cum  sitis  mail,  "  being  evil,  can  give  your  children 

good  gifts,"  &c.     In  these  words,  where  he  saith,  cum  sitis 

[i  afore,  15(52.] 


of  godly 
minister*. 


XVII.]  ON    THE    LORIES    PRAYER.  337 

mail,  "  which  be  evil,"  he  givcth  us  our  own  proper  name ;  g<*i  mn 
he  painteth  us  out,  he  pinchcth  us;  he  cutteth  off  our  combs:  more  careful 

1  l  '  for  us  than 

he  pluckcth  down  our  stomachs.     And  here  we  learn  to  ac-  &u^ta for 
knowledge  ourselves  to  be  wicked,  and  to  know  him  to  be  his  child- 
the  well-spring  and  fountain  of  all  goodness,  and  that  all 
good  things  come  of  him.     Therefore  let  every  man  think 
lowly  of  himself,  humble  himself  and  call  upon  God,  which 
is  ready  to  give  us  not  only  bread  and  drink,  or  other  ne- 
cessaries, but  the  Holy  Ghost.     To  whom  will  he  give  the 
Holy  Ghost?    To  lords  and  ladies,  to  gentlemen  or  gentle- 
women?    No,  not  so.     He  is  not  ruled  by  affections:  he 
hath  not  respect  unto  personages.     Poscentibus,  saith  he,  God  given. 
"unto  those  which  call  upon  him,"  beina:  rich  or  poor,  lords  out  respect 

.  .  of  persons. 

or  knights,  beggars  or  rich ;  he  is  ready  to  give  unto  them 
when  they  come  to  him.  And  this  is  a  great  comfort  unto 
those  which  be  poor  and  miserable  in  this  world ;  for  they 
may  be  assured  of  the  help  of  God,  yea,  and  as  boldly  go 
unto  him,  and  desire  his  help,  as  the  greatest  king  in  earth. 
But  we  must  ask,  we  must  inquire  for  it;  he  would  have  us  He  that  win 
to  be  importunate2,  to  be  earnest  and  diligent  in  desiring;  God's  hand 

...  .  °      anything, 

then  we  shall  receive  when  we  come  with  a  good  faith  and  ^hfauh 
confidence.     To  whom  shall  we  call?    Not  unto  the  saints. 
Poscentibus  ilium,  saith  he.     Those  that  call  upon  him  shall 
be  heard.     Therefore  we  ought  to  come  to  him  only,  and  not 
unto  his  saints. 

But  one  word  is  left,  which  we  must  needs  consider ;  we  must 
Noster,  "  our."  He  saith  not  "  my,"  but  "  our."  Wherefore  only,  and0 
saith  he  "our?11     This  word  "our"  teacheth  us  to  consider  here this 

i  -n  p  •  word,  "our." 

that  the  V  ather  of  heaven  is  a  common  Father ;  as  well  my 
neighbour's  Father  as  mine ;  as  well  the  poor  man's  Father 
as  the  rich :  so  that  he  is  not  a  peculiar  Father,  but  a 
Father  to  the  whole  church  and  congregation,  to  all  the 
faithful.  Be  they  never  so  poor,  so  vile,  so  foul  and  despised, 
yet  he  is  their  Father  as  well  as  mine :  and  therefore  I 
should  not  despise  them,  but  consider  that  God  is  their 
Father  as  well  as  mine.  Here  may  we  perceive  what  com- 
munion is  between  us ;  so  that  when  I  pray,  I  pray  not  for 
myself  alone,  but  for  all  the  rest :  again,  when  they  pray, 
they  pray  not  for  themselves  only,  but  for  me:  for  Christ 
hath  so  framed  this  prayer,  that  I  must  needs  include  my 
[2  importune,  1562.] 

22 
[latimer.] 


338  THE    FIKST    SERMON  [sERM. 


Christ 
that  one 


teiieth  neighbour  in  it.     Therefore  all  those  which  pray  this  prayer, 
praJ"ford      they  Pray  as  well  for  me  as  for  themselves;    which  is  a 
another.       great  comfort  to  every  faithful  heart,  when  he  considereth 
that  all  the  church  prayeth  for  him.     For  amongst  such  a 
great  number    there   be   some   which  be  good,   and  whose 
prayer    God    will    hear :    as    it    appeared    by    Abraham's 
prayer,   which  prayer   was  so   effectuous,   that   God  would 
Gen.  xviii.     have  pardoned  Sodome  and  Gomorre,  if  he  might  have  found 
Act*™™,    but  ten  good  persons  therein.      Likewise  St  Paul  in  ship- 
wreck preserved  his  company  by  his  prayer.      So  that  it  is 
a  great  comfort  unto  us  to  know  that  all  good  and  faithful 
persons  pray  for  us. 

There  be  some  learned  men1  which  gather  out  of  scrip- 
Acts  vh.       ture?  tnat  tne  prayer  0f  gt  Stephen  was  the  occasion  of  the 
jCuhdrinTenr's  conversion   of   St   Paul.       St    Chrysostom  saith,    that  that 
prayer  that  I  make  for  myself  is  the  best,  and  is  of  more 
efficacy  than  that  which  is  made  in  common2.     Which  saying 
I  like  not  very  well.     For  our  Saviour  was  better  learned 
than  St  Chrysostom.     He  taught  us  to  pray  in  common  for 
all;    therefore  we  ought  to  follow  him,  and  to  be  glad  to 
pray  one  for  another :  for  we  have  a  common  saying  among 
U r?r.ove  us'  "  Whosoever  loveth  me,  loveth  my  hound."     So,  who- 
my  hound.    soever  foyeth  Qod)  wiU  love  llis  neigi1DOm%  wycn  is  made 

after  the  image  of  God. 
ofhprary°erfrty  ^  nere  is  to  be  note(i>  that  prayer  hath  one  property 
before  all  other  good  works :  for  with  my  alms  I  help  but 
one  or  two  at  once,  but  with  my  faithful  prayer  I  help  all. 
I  desire  God  to  comfort  all  men  living,  but  specially  domes- 
ticos  fidei,  "those  which  be  of  the  household  of  faith3." 
Yet  we  ought  to  pray  with  all  our  hearts  for  the  other, 
winch  believe  not,  that  God  will  turn  them  hearts  and  renew 
them  with  his  Spirit;  yea,  our  prayers  reach4  so  far,  that 
our  very  capital  enemy  ought  not  to  be  omitted.     Here  you 

f1  St  Augustine  observes :  "  Si  martyr  Stephanus  non  sic  orasset, 
ecclesia  Paulum  hodie  non  haberet."  Sermo  382.  Oper.  Tom.  v.  col. 
1038.  Edit.  Bened.  Antwerp.  1700.    See  also  Calvin,  in  loc] 

[2  If  this  be  so,  St  Chrysostom  frequently  teaches  the  very  op- 
posite: e.  g.  De  Incompreh.  Dei  natura  Horn.  in.  Oper.  Tom.  i. 
p.  469.  Edit.  Bened.  Paris.  1718.] 

[3  household  of  God,  1562, 1571.] 

[4  prayer  reacheth,  1562,  1571.] 


XVII.]  ON    THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  339 

see  what  an  excellent  tiling  prayer  is,  when  it  proceedcth  The  excei- 
from  a  faithful  heart ;  it  doth  far  pass  all  the  good  works  prayer, 
that  men  can  do. 

Now  to  make  an  end :  we  are  monished  here  of  charity, 
and  taught  that  God  is  not  only  a  private  Father,  but  a 
common  Father  unto  the  whole  world,  unto  all  faithful ;  be 
they  never  so  poor  and  miserable  in  tins  world,  yet  he  is 
their  Father.  Where  we  may  learn  humility  and  lowliness : 
specially  great  and  rich  men  shall  learn  here  not  to  be  lofty 
or  to  despise  the  poor.  For  when  ye  despise  the  poor  what  it  is 
miserable  man,  whom  despise  ye  ?  Ye  despise  him  winch  the  poor, 
calleth  God  his  Father  as  well  as  you;  and  peradventuro 
more  acceptable  and  more  regarded  in  his  sight  than  you 
be.  Those  proud  persons  may  learn  here  to  leave  their 
stubbornness  and  loftiness.  But  there  be  a  great  many 
which  little  regard  this :  they  think  themselves  better  than 
other  men  be,  and  so  despise  and  contemn  the  poor ;  inso- 
much that  they  will  not  hear  poor  men's  causes,  nor  defend 
them  from  wrong  and  oppression  of  the  rich  and  mighty. 
Such  proud  men  despise  the  Lord's  prayer :  they  should  be  a  lesson  for 
as  careful  for  their  brethren  as  for  themselves.  And  such  sons, 
humility,  such  love  and  carefulness  towards  our  neighbours, 
we  learn  by  this  word  "  Our.'"  Therefore  I  desire  you  on 
God's  behalf,  let  us  cast  away  all  disdainfulness,  all  proud- 
ness,  yea,  and  all  bibble-babble.  Let  us  pray  tins  prayer 
with  understanding  and  great  deliberation ;  not  following  the 
trade  of  monkery,  which  was  without  all  devotion  and  un- 
derstanding.    There  be  but  few   which   can  say  from   the  The  number 

i      •  ^  -r-,      t  i-i  i  is  but  small 

bottom  of  their   hearts,    "Our  Father;"    a  little  number,  that  may  caii 

'  .  ,  God  Father. 

Neither  the  Turks,  neither  the  Jews,  nor  yet  the  impenitent 
sinners,  can  call  God  them  Father.  Therefore  it  is  but  vain 
babbling,  whatsoever  they  pray  :  God  heareth  them  not,  he 
will  not  receive  their  prayers.  The  promise  of  hearing  is 
made  unto  them  only  which  be  faithful  and  believe  in  God ; 
which  endeavour  themselves  to  live  according  unto  his  com- 
mandments. For  scripture  saith,  Oculi  Domini  super  justos; 
"  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the  righteous,  and  Iris  ears  Psai.  xxxiv. 
open  unto  their  prayers."  But  who  are  those  righteous? 
Every  penitent  sinner,  that  is  sorry  from  the  bottom  of  his 
heart  for  his  wickedness,  and  believeth  that  God  will  forgive 
him  his  sins   for   his  Son  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ's  sake. 

22—2 


340  THE    FIRST    SERMON,    &C  [sERM.   XVII.] 

S!tatheis     This  i8  called  in  scripture  "a  just  man,"  that  endcavoureth 

accoumeth    himself  to  leave  all  wickedness.     In  such  sort  Peter  and  Paul 

a  just  man.    were  jug^  Decause  they  did  repent,  and  beheve  in  Christ, 

and  so  endeavoured  themselves  to  live  according  unto  God's 

laws.     Therefore  like  as  they  were  made  just  before  God, 

so  may  we  too ;    for  we  have  even  the  self-same  promise. 

Let  us   therefore  follow  their   ensample.      Let  us  forsake 

all  sins  and  wickedness ;   then  God  will  hear  our  prayers. 

For  scripture  saith,  Dominus  facit  quicquid  volant  timentes 

Psai.  cxiv.     eitm,  et  clamorem  eorum  eocaudit  ac  servat  eos :  "  The  Lord 

fulfilleth  the  desire  of  them  that  fear  him ;  he  also  will  hear 

their  cry,  and  help  them."    In  another  place  he  saith,  Si 

manseritis  in  sermone  meo,   et   verba  mea   custodiveritis, 

quicquid  volueritis  petentes  accipietis :  "  If  ye  abide  in  me, 

and  my  words  abide  in  you,  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall 

who  they     be   done  for  you."     So  we   see  that  the  promises  pertain 

are  whom  **  , 

ami  will       only  to  the  faithful :   to  those  which  endeavour  themselves 

near.  «  ' 

to  live  according  to  God's  will  and  pleasure ;  which  can  be 
content  to  leave  their  wickedness,  and  follow  godliness :  those 
God  will  hear  at  all  times,  whensoever  they  shall  call  upon 
Mm. 
t!aSof that""  Remember  now  what  I  have  said :  remember  what  is 
is  said  before.  meant  Dy  this  WOrd  "  our ;"  namely,  that  it  admonisheth  us 
of  love  and  charity ;  it  teacheth  us  to  beware  of  stubborn- 
ness and  proudness ;  considering  that  God  loveth  as  well  the 
beggar  as  the  rich  man,  for  he  regardeth  no  persons.  Again, 
what  is  to  be  understood  by  this  word  "  Father ;"  namely, 
that  he  bcareth  a  good  will  towards  us,  that  he  is  ready  and 
willing  to  help  us.  "  Heavenly,"  that  admonisheth  us  of  his 
potency  and  ability,  that  he  is  ruler  over  all  things.  This,  I 
say,  remember,  and  follow  it :  then  we  shall  receive  all 
things  necessary  for  this  life ;  and  finally  everlasting  joy  and 
felicity.     Amen.     Let  us  pray,  "  Our  Father." 


THE  SECOND  SERMON  UPON  THE   LORDS  PRAYER, 
MADE  BY  MASTER  LATIMER. 


[MATTHEW  VI.  9.] 
Sanctificetur  nomen  tuum. 
Hallowed  be  thy  name. 

These  few  words  contain  the  first  petition  of  the  Lord's  The  first 
prayer :  the  other  words  which  go  before  this  bo  no  part  of  the  Pater- 

7,...,  *  .  .  noster. 

this  petition,  but  rather  an  introduction  unto  these  petitions : 
and  they  be  like  a  preface,  or  learned  entrance  to  the  mat- 
ter, that  the  petitions  might  be  the  sooner  and  with  more 
favour  heard.  For  our  Saviour  being  a  perfect  schoolmaster, 
as  a  learned  and  an  expert  orator,  teacheth  us  how  wo 
should  begin  our  prayer  that  we  might  be  speedily  heard, 
and  how  to  get  favour  at  God's  hand. 

I  have  a  manner  of  teaching,  which  is  very  tedious  to  Repetitions 

_  are  more 

them   that  be   learned.      I  am   wont   ever   to  repeat  those  profitable 

1  than 

things    which    I    have    said    before,    which    repetitions    arePleasant- 
nothing  pleasant  to  the  learned :  but  it  is  no  matter,  I  care 
not  for  them;    I  seek  more   the  profit  of  those  which  be 
ignorant,  than  to  please  learned  men.     Therefore  I  often-  Edification 
times  repeat  such  things  which  be  needful  for  them  to  know ;  thatpreacf- 
for  I  would  speak  so  that  they  might  be  edified  withal.  chiefly  to 

I  spake  some  things  tins  day  in  the  commendation  of 
this  prayer :  and  first  I  told  you,  that  it  was  our  Saviour's 
own  making  and  handwork,  which  is  a  perfect  schoolmaster, 
put  in  authority  by  God  the  heavenly  Father  himself,  which 
saith,  Hie  est  Films  metis  dilectus,  in  quo  mihi  bene  com- 
placitum  est;  ipsum  audite  :  "This  is  my  well -beloved  Son,  Matt.  xvii. 
in  whom  I  have  pleasure ;  hear  him." 

This  prayer   is  a  perfect  prayer,   an  abridgment  and  The  Lords 
compendious   sum  of  all  other  prayers.      There  is  nothing  s1™"^1^ 
that  we  have  need  of,  neither  to  our  souls  or  bodies,  but  it 
is   contained   in  some  of  these  petitions ;    nor  nothing  that 
God  promiseth  in  his  word  to  give  us,  but  it  is  expressed 
in  one  of  these  seven  petitions. 


342  THE    SECOND    SERMON  [SERM. 

The  cause  I   shewed   you  this  day  why  we  call   God  "Father;" 

why  we  call  «-  i  -i  i       • 

God  Father,  namely,  because  he  beareth  a  loving  and  fatherly  heart 
towards  us.  It  is  a  sweet  word,  "  Father ;"  and  a  word 
that  pleaseth  God  much  when  it  is  spoken  with  a  faithful 
heart,  which   above  all  things  God  requireth.     This  word 

to  can  c.od    "Father"  moveth  God's  affection,  in  a  manner,  towards  us,  so 

our  Father, 

forTs^wo6   tnat  ne'  hearing  the  word  "  Father,"  cannot  choose  but  shew 
Wdys*  himself  a  Father  indeed.     So  that  it  is  a  word  profitable 

to  us  in  God's  behalf,  and,  again,  for  our  ownselves :  for  it 
moveth  God  to  pity,  and  also  helpeth  our  faith ;  so  that  wo 
doubt  not,  but  that  we  shall  find  him  a  Father,  which  will 
grant  our  requests  and  petitions  made  unto  him  in  the  namo 
of  Christ.  Now  what  crafts  and  conveyances  the  devil  useth 
to  withdraw  and  let  us  from  prayer,  I  told  you  to-day 
aforenoon.  If  you  exercise  prayers,  you  shall  find  the  temp- 
tations of  the  devil,  for  he  sleepeth  not :  he  ever  intendeth 
with  faith     to  withdraw  us  from  prayer.     But  I  told  you  what  remedy 

we  must  .  ,  .  .  .  . 

trfehdeav1i'nst  Jon  use  against  mm  '■>  now  you  sna^  strive  against  him, 

namely,  with  faith ;  believing  that  our  Saviour  hath  taken 
away  our  sins,  so  that  they  cannot  hurt  us.     For  they  be  no 

Christ  hath    sins  in  the  sight  of  God ;  for  he  hath  taken  away  both  the 

taken  away  . 

the '^n  due  gl^mess  °f  sms>  anft  tne  pains  and  punishments  which  follow 

to  our  sins.    smSi      Christ  hath  deserved  that  those  winch  believe  in  him 

shall  be  quit  from  all  their  sins.     These  benefits  of  Christ 

are  set  out  in  scripture,  in  many  places ;  and  these  be  the 

weapons  wherewith  we  must  fight  against  the  devil  and  his 

nmafraid of  ^uisi°ns  5 — not  witn  hoty  water  :  for  I  tell  you,  the  devil  is 

hoiy  water.    not  afraid  of  holy  water.     It  is  Christ  that  hath  gotten  the 

victory  over  him ;    it  is  he  that  vanquisheth  the  serpent's 

head,  and  not  holy  water. 

Further,  in   that  we   call   Mm  "  Father,"  his  will  and 
fatherly  affections  are   expressed:  that  we  call  him  "hea- 
venly Father,"   his   might   and  power,  his   omnipotency,  is 
God  is  both    expounded  unto  us.     So  that  you  perceive*  hat  he  is  both 

willing  and  1.  «/  I 

awe  to  help  loving  and  kind  towards  us;  that  he  beareth  a  good- will, 
and  also  is  able  to  help,  able  to  defend  us  from  all  our 
wehaveno  enemies,  spiritual  and  temporal.  Therefore  let  us  put  our 
;;;:,';;;; ^  trust  and  confidence  in  him:  let  us  not  despair  of  his  help, 
Shabie  seeing  he  is  so  loving,  kind,  and  gentle  towards  us;  and 
to heTpusf  tnen  so  mighty,  that  he  hath  all  things  in  his  hands.  This 
affection  and  love  towards  us  passeth  all  motherly  affections. 


XVIII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  843 

And  here  I  brought  in  to-day  a  woman  which  was 
accused  that  she  should  have  killed  her  child.  I  told  you 
what  business  good  Master  Bilney  and  I  had  with  her,  afore 
we  could  bring  her  to  a  good  trade.  For  she  thought  her- 
self to  be  damned,  if  she  should  suffer  before  her  purification. 
There  I  told  you,  that  purification  is  continued  in  the  church 
of  God  for  natural  honesty's  sake,  that  man  and  wife  should 
not  company  together  afore  that  time;  and  not  to  that  end, 
that  it  should  cleanse  from  sin :   for  there  is  nothing  that  gniy  the 

.         blood  of 

cleanseth  from  sin,  neither  in  heaven  nor  in  earth,  saving  ^'ns'eth 
only  the  blood  of  our  Saviour  Jesu  Christ.     For  how  canfromsin- 
a  woman  having  company  with  her  husband,  and  bringing 
forth  children  according  unto  God's  injunction,  how  can  she  to  do  that 
be  made   an  heathen  woman,  doing;  nothing  but  that  God  mandeth  is 

'  O  p  _        not  sin. 

hath  commanded  her  to  do?  Therefore  against  such  foolish 
opinions  that  women  have,  thinking  themselves  out  of  the 
favour  of  God,  lying  in  child-bed,  I  spake  to-day,  and  told 
you  how  that  it  is  no  offence  afore  God ;  only  let  every  man 
and  wife  take  heed  and  use  themselves  honestly :  for  a  man 
may  sin  deadly  with  Ins  own  wife,  if  he,  contrary  to  God's 
order,  misuse  her. 

Further,   you  have  heard  how    the   good-will   of   God  to  can  God 

.'     J  iii.  our  Father 

towards  us  is  set  out  by  tins  word  "  Father,"  and  his  power  J*ipetn  us 
and  omnipotency  by  this  word  "  heavenly :"  but  I  would 
have  you  to  consider  well  this  word  "  our ;"  for  it  is  a 
great  help  unto  us,  and  strengtheneth  much  our  faith,  so 
that  we  may  be  assured  that  every  good  man  in  the  whole 
world  will  pray  for  us  and  with  us,  whilst  we  have  one 
Father  and  one  manner  of  prayer.  And  this  word  "  our" 
putteth  us  in  remembrance  that  we  be  brethren  in  Christ: 
where  we  be  admonished  to  despise  no  man,  be  he  never  so 
miserable  or  poor ;  for  we  have  all  one  Father,  which  hath 
made  us  all  of  one  metal  of  earth.  So  that  the  highest 
prince  in  the  world  is  made  as  well  of  earth  as  the  poorest ;  Princes  and 
and  so  shall  turn  into  the  same  aa;ain,  as  well  as  the  poorest  are  aii  made 

o        '  ^  j.  0f  one  mat- 

shepherd.     Let  these  proud  persons  mark  this  well,  which ter- 
be  ever  ready  to  despise  every  man.     Such  proud  persons 
say  never  the 'Lord's  prayer  with  good  mind:    yea,  God 
is  not  their  Father,  for  he  abhorreth  all  proudness.     There- 
fore such  stubborn  fellows  when  they  will  pray,  they  should  The  proud 
not  say,  "Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven;"  but  rather, is  in  hel1- 


344  THE    SECOND    SERMON  [sERM. 

"  Our  Father  which  art  in  hell."     God  is  their  father,  as 

concerning  their   substance,  for   he   giveth  them   souls  and 

bodies ;  but  they  make  themselves  the  members  of  the  devil, 

contrary  unto  God's  will  and  pleasure.     Therefore  set  aside 

superstitious  all  arrogancy  and  proudness ;  likewise  all  superstitious  and 

tiT'ralh! t0  hypocrite  babbling,  speaking  many  words  to  little  purpose  : 

"eKatX.  as  ^  heard  say  of  some  lawyers,  which  babble  and  prate, 

and  pretend  a  great  diligence  and  earnest  desire  to  defend 

the  poor  man's  cause ;  but  in  their  hearts  they  be  false,  they 

seek    money   and  nothing    else;    so  that  their   hearts   and 

mouth  disagree.     Let  us,  I  say,  not  follow  such  lawyers; 

let  us  not  make  a  shew  of  holiness  with  much  babbling,  for 

God  hath  no  pleasure  in  it ;  therefore  away  with  it :    yea, 

as  when  we  not  alone  with  this,  but  with  all  that  may  let.  us   in   our 

pmrmimii-  ** 


(•omnium 
:e,  so  w 
pray  we 


lcn  prayer.     Set  it  aside,  and  come  reverently  to  talk  with  God. 


paredbs  1>re"  ^ike  as  when  you  go  to  the  communion,  you  must  be  pre- 
pared unto  it,  you  must  be  in  charity  with  your  neighbour ; 
so  likewise,  when  you  will  talk  with  God,  and  pray  to  him, 
you  must  be  prepared. 

Here  you  may  perceive,  that  all  those  persons 'that  will 
not  be  corrected  for  their  faults,  that  cannot  bear  godly  ad- 
monitions, they  talk  never  with  God  to  his  pleasure ;  they 
be  not  ruled  by  God's  Spirit,  and  so  not  meet  for  him.     All 
Whatman-    rebellious  persons,  all  blood-thirsty  persons,  all  covetous  per- 
t h"t  ('oi  win  sons'  au"  lecherous  persons,  all  bars,  drunkards,  and  such  like, 
not  hear.       be  no^  m  tjie  case  to  fo^k  with  God.      God  will  not  hear 
them ;  he  cannot  abide  them ;  they  stink  before  his  face,  as 
long  as  they  come  before  him  with  such  abominable  sins,  not 
one  prayer    intending  to  leave  them.     Remember  now  what  a  doctrine  is 

with  under-  ° 

bXr'than  contained  in  this  preface.  Weigh  it ;  for  it  is  better  to  say  it 
scntentiously  one  time,  than  to  run  it  over  an  hundred  times 
with  humbling  and  mumbling. 

Now,  when  we  have  begun  as  we  ought  to  do,  what  shall 
we  desire?  Sanctificetur  nomen  tuum,  "Hallowed  be  thy 
name."  Thy  name,  "  Father,"  be  hallowed,  be  sanctified,  be 
magnified.  What  is  this?  What  meant  our  Saviour,  when 
he  commandeth  us  that  we  shall  desire  that  God's  name  be 
hallowed?  There  is  a  great  number  of  people  which  speak 
these  words  with  their  mouth,  but  not  with  their  hearts,  con- 
trary to  that  saying,  Quicquid  petimus  ardenter  petamus, 
tanquam  cupientes  habere.      But  they  say  it  without  know- 


i  hundred 
without. 


XVIII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  345 

ledge ;  therefore  they  say  it  not,  nt  oportet,  as  they  ought 

to  do.     "  Thy  name  :"  we  require  not  that  his  name  may  be  The  meaning 

i   •  •  n  '      •  i  •  of  the  first 

hallowed  in  him ;  lor  this  is  already  done  without  our  prayer :  petition. 
but  we  desire  that  he  will  give  us  grace,  and  assist  us,  that 
we  in  all  our  doings  throughout  our  life  may  sanctify  liis 
name.  And  here  we  are  admonished  again  of  love  and  charity : 
for  when  we.  say,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name,"  we  ask  in  all 
men's  names.  Where  we  may  perceive  what  communion  and 
fellowship  is  between  the  faithful  flock  of  God ;  for  every 
faithful  man  and  woman  requireth  that  the  whole  church  may 
hallow  and  sanctify  God's  word. 

What  is  it  to  be  "hallowed?"    We  desire  that  the  name 
of  God  may  be  revealed,  opened,  manifested,  and  credited 
throughout  all  the  world.  What  is  God's  "name?"  Marry,  all  J^^0 
that  is  spoken  of  him  in  holy  scripture,  that  is  his  name.  e°^s;x- 
He  is  called  Clemens,  "Gracious;"  Misericors,  "  Merciful;"  |e0cm". ^i. 
Justus,  "Righteous;"  Puniens  iniquitatem,  "A  punisher  of joshuaiv. 
wickedness;"    Verax,    "True;"    Omnipotens,   "  Almighty ;"  Psai."i!v' 
Longanimis,   "Long-suffering,  patient;"   Fortis,   "  Hardy  ;"  Exod.  xxxiv. 
Ignis  consumens,    "  A  consuming  fire ;"   Rex  omnis  terrce,  §endx™u- 
"the  lung  over   the  whole  earth;"   Judex,    "A  Judge ;"  gg;  £?a- 
Salvator,  "  A  Saviour."     These  and  such  like  are  the  names  fSaf.  xil!'1" 
of  God.     Now  when  I  make  my  petition  unto  him,  saying, 
"  Hallowed  be  thy  name ;"  I  desire  that  his  name  may  be 
revealed,  that  we  may  know  what  scripture  speaketh  of  him, 
and  so  believe  that  same,  and  live  after  it.     I  do  not  desire 
that  his  name  be  hallowed  of  himself,  for  it  needeth  not ;  he 
is  holy  already  :  but  I  desire  that  he  will  give  us  his  Spirit, 
that  we  may  express  him  in  all  our  doings  and  conversations ; 
so  that  it  may  appear  by  our  deeds,  that  God  is  even  such 
one  indeed  as  scripture  doth  report  him.    We  are  tried  many 
times  whether  his  name  be  hallowed  amongst  us  or  no.     He 
sendeth  us  trouble  and  adversities  to  prove  us,  whether  we 
will  hallow  his  name  or  no.    But  he  findeth  us  clean  contrary. 
For  some  of  us,  when  we  be  in  trouble,  do  run  hither  and  what  Pcr- 
thither  to  sorcerers  and  witches1,  to  get  remedy.      Some,  thathafiow0, 

«/  *  not  God's 

again,  swear  and   curse ;   but  such  fellows  hallow   not  the name- 
name    of   God.      But    God    is    vindex    severus,    "  a    sharp 
punisher :"  he  will  punish  sin,  and  those  which  blaspheme 
his  holy  name. 

[i  wizards,  1562.] 


346  THE    SECOND    SERMON  [sERM. 

to  be  bap-  I  heard  of  lato  that  there  be  some  wicked  persons,  de- 

tizcil  and  not  x 

!",1m.n'nci-d's  spisers  °f  God  and  his  benefits,  which  say,  "  It  is  no  matter 
KS^JrHF  whatsoever  we  do ;  we  be  baptized :  we  cannot  be  damned ; 
for  all  those  that  be  baptized,  and  be  called  Christians,  shall 
be  saved."     This  is  a  false  and  wicked  opinion ;  and  I  assure 
you  that  such  which  bear  the  name  of  Christians,  and  be 
baptized,  but  follow  not  God's  commandments,  that  such  fel- 
lows, I  say,  be  worse  than  the  Turks  and  heathen :  for  the 
Turks  and  heathen  have  made  no  promise  imto  Christ  to 
serve  him.     These  fellows   have  made  promise  in  baptism 
to  keep  Christ's  rule,  which  thing  they  do  not ;  and  there- 
fore they  be  worse  than  the  Turks :  for  they  break  their 
promise  made  before  God  and  the  whole  congregation.     And 
therefore  such  Christians  be  most  wicked,  perjured  persons ; 
and  not  only  be  perjured,  but  they  go  about  to  make  God 
a  simple      a  liar,  so  much  as  lieth  in  them.     There  be  some  again, 
praying.       which  when  they  be  in  trouble  they  call  upon  God,  but  he 
cometh  not  by  and  by,  minding  to  prove  their  patience ;  they, 
perceiving  he  cometh  not  at  the  first  call,  give  over  by  and 
by,  they  will  no  more  call  upon  him.     Do  they  believe  now, 
think  ye  ?    Do  they  sanctify  God's  holy  name  ?     God  pro- 
Matt,  vii.      miseth  in  his  holy  word,  Omnia  qui  petit,  "  Every  one  that 
calleth  or  that  desireth  help  of  me  shall  have  it."     Item, 
rsai.  i.        Invoca  me  in  die  tribulationis,  et  exaudiam  te,  et  glori- 
ficabis  me ;  "  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  I  will 
hear  thee,  and  thou  shalt  praise   me."     Likewise   St  Paul 
icor.x.       saith,  Fidelis  est  Deus,  qui  non  patietur  vos  tentari  supra 
id  quod  potestis  ;  "  God  is  faithful,  which  will  not  suffer  you 
to  be  tempted  above  it  that  ye  be  able."     Now,  when  we 
give  over  prayer  being  in  trouble,  do  we  sanctify  the  name 
To  give  over  of  God  ?    No,  no  ;  we  slander  and  blaspheme  his  holy  name  : 

prayers  in  .  ....  ^ 

tnmbie  is  to   we  make  him  a  liar,  as  much  as  lieth  in  us.     For  he  saith, 

blaspheme 

i4iTe'  Eripiam  te,  "I  will  deliver  thee,  I  will  help  thee :"  we  will 
call  no  more ;  for  we  say,  he  will  not  help.  So  we  make 
him  and  his  word  a  liar.     Therefore  God  saith  to  Moses  and 

Numb.  xx.  Aaron,  Quandoquidem  non  credidistis  mihi,  ut  sanctifi- 
caretis  me  coram  filiis  Israel,  non  introducetis  coetum  istum 
in  terram  quam  dedi  eis ;  "  Because  ye  believed  me  not,  to 
sanctify  me  in  the  sight  of  the  children  of  Israel,  therefore 
you  shall  not  bring  this  congregation  into  the  land  which  I 
have  given  them."     Where  it  appeareth,  what  it  is  to  hallow 


XVIII.]  ON    THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  347 

God's  name;  that  is,  to  believe  his  words,  to  shew  ourselves  what  it  is  to 

that  he  is  true  in  his  doings  and  savings.     He  saith  further,  name^fdod. 

°  «/    ©  .  .        .   Isai- viii- 

A  terrore  ejus  ne  formidetis,  neque  animo  frangamini,  quin 

potius  Dominum  exercituum  ipsum  sanctificate;  "  Fear  them 

not,   neither   bo  afraid   of  them,  but   sanctify  the  Lord  of 

hosts."     Here  you  see  what  it  is  to  sanctify  his  name ;  that 

is,  to  believe. that  all  tilings  be  true  that  be  spoken  of  him; 

that  is,  to  believe  that  our  enemies  be  not  able  to  go  further 

than  it  pleascth  God.     And  so  did  the  apostles,  when  they  The  apostles 

1  A  «/    and  martyrs 

suffered  for  God's  sake :  they  believed  that  God  would  do  ^sanctity 

d  God  s  name. 

with  them  according  to  his  word  and  promise ;  and  so  they 
sanctified  God ;  that  is,  they  declared  with  their  acts  and 
deeds,  chat  God  is  a  true  and  faithful  God.  This  did  the 
martyrs  of  God ;  this  did  the  three  young-  men  which  would  Dan.  m. 
not  worship  the  idol  set  up  by  the  king,  and  therefore  were 
cast  into  the  burning  oven,  to  which  pain  they  were  willing 
to  go.  "  We  know,"  said  they,  "  that  God  is  able  to  help 
and  defend  us,  when  it  pleaseth  him."  So  must  we  likewise 
offer  ourselves  unto  the  cross,  content  to  suffer  whatsoever  he 
shall  lay  upon  us.  We  may  call  upon  him,  and  desire  his  we  may  not 
help ;  but  we  may  not  appoint  unto  him   the  manner  and  the  manner, 

11  i  iiiiiii  i  -x-r    •  how  he  shall 

way  ,  how  he  shall  help,  and  by  what  means.     Neither  may  ^,pnus- nor 
we  appoint  him  any  time,  but  only  sanctify  his  name ;  that  is, 
to  call  upon  him  for  deliverance,  not  doubting  but  when  it  is 
to  his  honour  and  our  profit  to  be  delivered,  that  he  will  help. 
But  if  he  help  not,  but  let  us  suffer  death,  happy  are  we ;  to  suffer 
for  then  we  be  delivered  from  all  trouble.     And  so  these  bfdeiwered 
three  young  men  sanctified  the  name  of  God ;  they  believed  r°' 
that  God  was  a  helper :  and  so,  according  to  their  belief  he 
helped  them,  marvellously  shewing  his  power,  and  defending 
them  from  the  power  of  the  fire. 

In  such  wise  did  Achior,  that  good  man,  when  Holo-  Achior  did 

.  ,    °  sanctify  God's 

phernes,  that  sturdy  captain,  made  great  brags  what  he name- 
would  do,  and  how  he  would  handle  the  Jews.  Tins  Achior, 
knowing  God,  and  believing  him  to  be  ruler  over  heaven  and 
earth,  stepped  forward,  and  said  to  Holophernes :  "  If  this  Judith  v. 
people  have  done  wickedness  in  the  sight  of  their  God,  then 
let  us  go  up  against  them ;  but  if  this  people  have  not  dis- 
pleased their  God,  we  shall  not  be  able  to  withstand  them; 
for  God  shall  defend  them."  Here  this  Achior  shewed  him- 
\}  wise  and  way,  1562.] 


348  THE    SECOND    SERMON  [sERM. 


Pan.  iv. 
Psal.  xxv. 
cxviii. 
2  Mac.  viii. 


self  to  believe  that  which  was  spoken  of  God  in  scripture  ; 
namely,  that  God  would  be  a  deliverer  and  defender  of  those 
which  believe  in  him.  But  for  all  that  he  suffereth :  being 
before  a  great  and  mighty  captain,  he  was  now  handled  like 
a  wild  beast.  But  what  then  ?  Happy  are  those  that  suffer 
for  God's  sake.  The  prophet  saith,  Commenda  Domino 
viam  tuam,  et  ipse  faciei ;  "Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord, 
and  he  shall  bring  it  to  pass  :"  that  is  to  say,  When  thou  art 
in  trouble,  call  upon  the  Lord,  believe  in  him ;  and  if  it  be 
good  for  thee,  he  will  deliver  thee.  So  to  sanctify  God's 
name  is  to  believe  in  him. 
Judith  did  Lady  Judith,  that  good,  godly,  and  holy  woman,  sancti- 

("'."i  s  name,  fled  the  name  of  the  Lord.     For  she  and  her  people  being 

Judith  xiii.      .  .  •       /-.      t  ™ 

in  great  distress  and  misery,  she  put  her  hope  m  God.  fehe 
fasted  and  prayed  devoutly,  and  afterward,  being  moved  or 
monished  by  a  secret  admonition,  was  not  afraid  to  put  herself 
in  great  clanger ;  insomuch  that  she  took  in  hand,  being  a 
woman,  to  kill  the  great  captain  of  whom  all  men  were  afraid, 
Judith  viii.    Holophernes.     I  say,  she  was  not  afraid  of  him.     I  trow, 

The  elders  r  .  .  .  . 

ili'uTlmnumT  snG  rebuked  the  priest,  which  would  appoint  God  a  time  ;  as 
God  a  time.  w]10  g^  u  jje  gj^  jje  n0  more  mv  Q0d,  except  he  come  by 
that  time  :"  which  was  very  wickedly  done  of  them.  For  we 
ought  to  be  at  Ins  pleasure :  whensoever  and  whatsoever  he 
will  do  with  us,  Ave  ought  to  be  content  withal.  If  we  were 
earnest  and  zealous  as  we  should  be,  0  how  hot  we  should  be 
in  promoting  God's  honour  and  sanctifying  his  name !  We 
would  nor  could  not  suffer  that  any  body  should  go  about  to 
dishonest  the  holy  name  of  God.  But  we  be  very  cold,  we 
care  not  for  his  honour.  We  ought  to  be  patient  in  our  own 
quarrels ;  when  any  body  doth  us  wrong,  we  ought  to  bear 
in  God's  and  forbear  it :  but  in  God's  behalf  we  ought  to  be  hot  and 
ouMi'ttobc  earnest  to  defend  his  honour,  as  much  as  licth  in  us  to  do. 
But  it  is  clean  contrary  with  us :  for  in  our  own  quarrel  we 
be  as  hot  as  coals ;  but  in  God's  cause,  for  his  honour,  we 
care  not,  we  regard  it  as  nothing,  whereas  it  ought  most  above 
all  to  be  regarded  :  for  God  he  is  just,  righteous,  faithful,  and 
kind ;  and  therefore  we  ought  to  take  Ins  part.  But  notliing 
maketh  more  for  the  sanctifying  of  God's  holy  name,  than  to 
be  thankful  for  such  gifts  as  we  receive  at  his  hands. 

And  this  hallowing  standeth  in  all  things  that  may  make 
for  the  furtherance  of  God's  honour.     To  hear  God's  word, 


To  be 

thankful  to 
God  is  to 

sanctify  his 


XVIII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  34.9 

and  highly  to  esteem  the  same,  that  is  a  hallowing  of  God's 
name.  How  hallow  now  they 1  the  name  of  God,  which  refuse 
to  hear  the  word  of  God,  or  for  lack  of  preachers  cannot  hear 
it  ?  And  how  can  they  believe,  when  they  hear  it  not  ? 
Therefore    they   that    do  somewhat  for  the  furtherance  of  to  maintain 

.  "       .         ,  good  learning 

learning-,    for    maintaining    of    schools    and    scholars,    they  ^  t(j, ha!low 

o'  O  J    God  s  name. 

sanctify  God;s   holy   name.     As  for  those  preachers  which 
have  been  in  my  time,  they  go  away.     How  shall  now  this 
office  of  preaching,  the  office  of  salvation,  how  shall  it  be 
maintained,   except  there  be  made  some  provision  for  the 
same  ?    Here  I  could  say  much  against  those  which  let  that 
office,  which  withdraw  the  goods  wherewith  schools  should  be 
maintained,  and  take  it  to  themselves ;  but  my  audience  is 
not  thereafter.     This  office  of  preaching  is  the  office  of  salva- 
tion; for  St  Paul  saith,  Visum  est  Deo  per  stultitiam  prcedi-  icor.  i. 
cationis  salvos  facere  credentes :  "  It  hath  pleased  God  to  salvation. 
save  the  believers  by  the  foolishness   of  preaching."     How 
can  men2  then  believe,  but  by  and  through  the  office  of  preach- 
ing?  Preachers  are  Christ's  vicars  :  legations  funguntur  pro  c'n^sersare 
Deo.      "  They  are  Christ's    ambassadors."     St  Paul    saith,  SESk,. 
Evangelium  est  potentia  Dei   ad  salutem  omni  credenti ; 
"  The  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  for  every 
believer."     It  is  the  mighty  instrument  of  God. 

When  we  say,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name ;"  we  desire  God 
that  he,  through  his  goodness,  will  remove  and  put  away  all 
things  that  may  let  and  stop  the  honour  of  his  name.  But  I 
fear  me  there  be  many  which  would  not  that  it  should  be  so. 
We  desire  here  that  God  will  remove  all  infidelity.  We 
require  that  all  witchcrafts  be  removed ;  that  art,  magic,  and 
sorcery,  be  pulled  out,  necromancy  taken  away ;  and  so 
nothing  left  but  his  holy  word,  wherewith  we  may  daily 
praise  the  name  of  God.     For  I  fear  me  there  be  a  great  smseren  as- 

r  <  _  o  honour  the 

many  in  England  which  use  such  sorceries,  to  the  dishonour  G*me  of 
of  God  and  their  own  damnation.  We  require  here  further, 
that  all  heresy,  all  popery  may  be  abolished  and  extinguished. 
Further  we  require  here,  that  all  wicked  living  may  be 
amended  and  reformed.  Next,  we  require  that  all  magistrates 
may  do  their  duties.  Finally,  we  require  that  every  man 
in  his  vocation  may  do  the  work  whereunto  God  hath  called 
him.     There  be  many  vocations.     The  magistrates1  vocation  The  magis- 

J  °  trates'  office. 

[i  those,  1562.]  [2  they,  1562.] 


350  THE    SECOND    SERMON  [sERM. 

is  to  see  that  the  commonwealth  be  well  ordered ;  to  see  that 
the  schools  be  maintained ;  to  see  that  universities  be  well 
furnished ;  to  see  that  justice  be  executed  ;  that  the  wicked 
be  punished,  and  the  good  rewarded  ;  finally  \  to  keep  every 

For  church-  one  in  good  order.  This  is  their  duty.  Further,  we  pray 
that  the  priests,  the  spirituality,  or  the  churchmen,  as  they 
call  them,  do  their  duties :  to  preach  God's  word,  to  live 
godly,  and  to  give  a  good  ensample  by  their  conversation  ; 
else  they  do  against  the  honour  of  God,  and  their  own  ho- 

For  servants,  nesty.  Likewise,  we  pray  that  servants  may  do  their  duties  : 
for  to  be  a  servant  is  an  honest  estate,  and  much  commended 
in  scripture  ;  and  scripture  speaketh  much  to  the  comfort  of 

servants  that  them.     And  truly,  those  that  live  in  the  fear  of  God,  consi- 

serve  not  "  , 

with  eye-      dermg  that  they  serve  not  only  their  carnal  masters,  but  God 
in  good  case.  himself,  they  be  in  a  good  case:  but  they  may  not  be  eye- 
servants.      St  Paul  noteth  this  fault,  and  saith,  that  they  shall 
not  be  murmurers,  nor  froward  answerers.      St  Paul  would 
have  them  to  live  so,  that  they  may  ornate  and  sanctify  the 
name  of  God.     For  that  servant  that  doth  the  tiling  where- 
unto  he  is  called,  he  doth  adorn  his  estate.     That  servant  is 
a  good  gospeller,  that  will  not  be  an  eye-servant.     There  be 
some  servants,  which  do  their  duties  as  long  as  their  master 
is  in  sight ;  but  as  soon  as  their  master  is  gone,  they  play 
the  lubbers.     Unto  such    fellows   I    say,    "Beware."     For 
though  your   bodily  master  see  you  not,  yet   your    great 
Master,  God,  seeth  you,  and  will  punish  you.      Quod  agis, 
coLiii.        toto  pectore  agito;  "What  thou  doest,  do  it  from  the  bottom 
The  devils    0f  thy  heart,"  with  a  good  will.      Go  not  away  with  the 

I  .itrriioster.  t/  o  t/^ 

devil's  Paternoster,  as  some  do.     Do  all  things  with  a  good 
servants  are  mind.     For  I   tell  you,  you  be  not  forgotten  in  scripture  ; 

not  forgotten  "'  "     .  °  l 

in  Ae  scrip,  you  are  much  commended  in  the  same.      St  Paul  speaketh 

coios.  iu.      yei,y  honourably  of  you,  saying,  Domino  Clwisto  servitis ; 

"  You  serve  the  Lord  Christ."     It  becometh  not  you  to  put 

a  difference  what  business  you  be  commanded  to  do.     For 

understood6  whosoever  it  be,  do  it  with  a  good  will,  and  it  is  God's 

iautuUnT  service-     Therefore  you  ought  to  do  it,  in  respect  that  God 

godiy.         would  have  you  to  do  so  :  for  I  am  no  more  assured  in  my 

preaching  that  I  serve  God,  than  the  servant  is  in  doing  such 

business  as  he  is  commanded  to  do  ;  scouring  the  candlesticks, 

or  whatsoever  it  be.     Therefore,  for  God's  sake,  consider  the 

\}  in  summa,  1562.] 


XVIII.]  ON    THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  351 

matter.  Some  of  you  think,  if  Christ  were  here,  you  would 
go  with  him  and  serve  him.  I  tell  you,  when  you  follow 
your  service,  and  do  such  things  as  your  master  and  mistress 
shall  command  you,  you  serve  him  as  well  as  if  he  were  here 
bodily.  He  is  not  here  bodily  now,  but  his  word  is  here. 
Domino  Christo  servitis,  saith  St  Paul:  "You  serve  the  Lord 
Christ."  Therefore  I  desire  you  in  God's  behalf  to  walk 
uprightly  and  godly.  Consider  what  God  saith  unto  you  : 
Maledictus  qui  facit  opus  Domini  negligenter ;  "  Cursed  Jer.  xiviii. 
be  he  that  doth  the  work  of  the  Lord  negligently."  This 
scripture  pertaineth  to  you  as  well  as  to  me.  For  when 
you  do  your  business  negligently,  you  be  cursed  before  the 
face  of  God.  Therefore  consider  the  goodness  of  God,  it  is  a  great 
that   he  would   have   you  as  well  saved  as  your  masters,  a  good  ser- 

t/.  "  vant. 

Surely,  methinketh  it  is  a  great  benefit  of  God,  to  be  a 
servant.  For  those  that  keep  houses  must  make  account 
afore  God  for  their  family  ;  they  must  watch  and  see  that 
all  things  be  well.  But  if  a  servant  can  discern2  what 
standeth  with  God's  commandment,  and  what  is  against  it, 
it  is  enough  for  him.  But  he  must  know  that  he  ought 
not  to  obey  his  master  or  mistress  when  they  would  command 
him  to  do3  against  God ;  in  such  a  case  he  may  refuse  and 
withstand  them.  For  it  is  written,  "We  must  more  obey  Acts  v. 
unto   God,  than  man  :"  we  should  not  do  against  God,  to  maTwtth- 

.  I'll  st311^  nis 

please  our  masters.     Again,  masters  and  mistresses  are  bound  "iaster  in  J 

A  .  .  .  .  ,     denying  to  do 

to  consider  their  duties  ;  to  pay  unto  their  servants  then  w>cHedly>but 

'  it/  not  in 

wages,  and  meat  and  drink  convenient.     For  it  is  a  great  sin  l^^it  {^ 
to  defraud  the  labourer  of  his  wages  ;  for  it  is  written,  "  The  hand" 
cry  of  the  labourers  shall  come  before  the  Lord."     It  is  a 
great  fault  afore  God  to  defraud  them.     But  there  be  some 
servants  which  be  so  wicked,  that  they  will  complain  without 
a  cause,  when  they  cannot  have  that  that  they  would  have, 
nor  bear  all  the  rule  themselves.     But  I  say,  it  is  a  great 
thing  for  a  master  to  defraud  his  servant.     And,  again,  the  a  thing  to 
servant  winch  hath  his  whole  wages,  and  doth  but  half  his  both  of e 
work,  or  is  a  sluggard,  that  same  fellow,  I  say,  is  a  thief  servants, 
afore  God.     For  hke  as  the  master  ought  to  pay  the  whole 
wages,  so  likewise  the  servant  ought  to  do  his  whole  work. 
Here  I  might  have  occasion  to  shew  how  man  and  wife 

[2  But  a  servant  when  he  can,  1562.] 
[3  go,  1584.] 


352  THE    SECOND    SERMON  [sERM. 

ought  to  live  together ;  how  they  ought  to  be  faithful,  loving, 
and  friendly  one  to  the  other ;  how  the  man  ought  not  to 
despise  the  wife,  considering  that  she  is  partaker  with  him  of 
everlasting  life.  Therefore  the  man  ought  cohabitare,  "  to 
dwell  with  her ; "  which  is  a  great  thing.  Again,  see  how 
the  woman  ought  to  behave  herself  towards  her  husband  ; 
how  faithful  she  ought  to  be.  Now  when  they  both  yield 
their  duties  the  one  to  the  other,  then  they  sanctify  the  name 
whoso  doth  of  God;  but  when  they  do  contrary  to  their  calling,  then  they 
ca'iini- sane-  slander  the  holy  name  of  God.     Therefore  let  every  man  and 

tifieththe  .    J  .  J 

name  of  God.  WOman  walk  in  then1  vocations. 

"netlf  wU1  ^e  mus*  nave  a  g00^  an(i  earnest  mind  and  will  to  sanc- 


e   tify  the  name  of  God :  for  that  person  that  prayeth,  and 


must  have  an 


th™eeto.'les're  desireth  of  God  that  Ms  name  may  be  hallowed,  and  yet  hath 
no  will  nor  pleasure  to  do  it  indeed,  this  is  not  the  right 
sanctifying  of  the  name  of  God.  St  Peter  teacheth  us  how 
we  shall  sanctify  God's  name,  saying,  Conversationem  inter 
gentes  habentes  bonam ;  "  Have  a  good  and  holy  conversation, 
live  uprightly  in  your  calling  ;  so  that  your  light  may  so 
shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and 
so  glorify  God." 
a  short  re-  I  will  trouble  you  no  longer.     It  is  better  a  little  well 

fssaid  before,  perceived  and  borne  away,  than  a  great  deal  heard  and  left 
behind.  Consider  wherefore  our  Saviour  commandeth  us  to 
call  God  "Our  Father;"  then  afterward  weigh  tins,  "which 
art  in  heaven."  Then  come  to  the  petition,  "  Hallowed  be 
thy  name;"  weigh  and  consider  this.  For  now  is  the  time 
wherein  the  name  of  God  should  be  hallowed :  for  it  is  a 
pitiful  thing  to  see  what  rule  and  dominion  the  devil  beareth, 
how  shameless  men  be ;  how  the  name  of  God  is  brought  in 
derision.  Therefore  let  us  say  from  the  bottom  of  our  heart, 
sanctificetur,  "hallowed :"  that  is  to  say,  "Lord  God,  through 
thy  goodness  remove  all  wickedness ;  give  us  grace  to  live 
uprightly!"  And  so  consider  every  word;  for  it  is  better 
one  word  spoken  with  good  affection,  than  an  hundred  without 
it.  Yet  I  do  not  say  tins  to  let  you  from  saying  the  whole 
Paternoster ;  but  I  say,  one  word  well  said  is  better  than  a 
great  many  else.  Read  throughout  all  the  scripture,  and  ye 
Faithful  men  shall  find  that  all  faithful  men  have  made  but  short  prayers : 
prayers.  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  David,  Hezekiah.  Our  Saviour  him- 
self in  the  garden  saith,  Pater,  si  possibile  est,  transeat  a  me 


XVIII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  353 

calix  iste ;  "  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  Matt.  xxvi. 
me."    This  was  but  a  short  prayer.     Again  ho  saith1,  Pater, 
ignosce  Mis,  quia  nesciunt  quid  f admit :   "  Father,  forgive 
them,  because  they  know  not  what  they  do."      The  publican 
praying   in   the  temple   made  but  a  short    prayer,    saying, 
Propitius  esto  mihi  peccatori;  "  Lord,  be  merciful  unto  me  a  Luke  xvin. 
sinner."      So  the  thief  hanging  upon  the  cross  saith,  Domine, 
memento  mei  cum  veneris  in  regnum  tuum;  "Lord,  remember  Luke  win. 
me  when  thou  comest  in  thy  kingdom."     Here  was  not  much 
babbling.      But  I  speak  not  this  to  dissuade  you  from  long 
prayer,  when  the  spirit  and  the  affections  do  serve ;  for  our 
Saviour  himself  spent  a  whole  night  in  prayer. 

Sauctificetur,  "Hallowed  be  thy  name:"  that  is  to  say,  a  short  and 
"Lord,  remove  away  thy  dishonour:  remove  away  sin;  move  position  of 

J       ,  "  .  "  this  petition. 

them  that  be  in  authority  to  do  their  duties;  move  the  man 

and  wife  to  live  rightly ;  move  servants  to  do  well.11     And  so 

it  should  be  a  great  grief  unto  us,  when  we  should  see  any 

body  dishonour  the  name  of  God,  insomuch  that  we  should 

cry  out,  "Our  Father,  hallowed  be  thy  name.1'     This  one  a  necessary 

thing  bear  away  with  you  above  all  others:  consider  that  where  it  may 

i  •«  Zt      i  i         «  •  i      i  •  i       best  be  kept 

when  we  will  come  to  God  and  talk  with  him,  we  must  be  in  remem- 
brance. 
penitent  sinners,  we  must  abhor  sins,  purpose  to  leave  them, 

and  to  live  uprightly ;  which  grant  us  God  the  Father,  Son, 

and  Holy  Ghost !     Amen. 

f1  So  likewise  St  Stephen  saith,  in  most  of  the  old  editions.     That 
of  1634  reads  as  in  the  text.] 


23 
[latimer.] 


354 


THE     THIRD     SKRMOX 


THE  THIRD  SERMON  UPON  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


[MATTHEW  VI.  10.] 

Adveniat  regnum  tuum. 

Thy  kingdom  come. 

The  second  This  is  the  second  petition  of  the  Lord's  prayer.     I  trust 

the  Lord's     you  have  not  forgotten  the1  two  lessons  before  rehearsed  unto 

nr.iv  cr.  «  ° 


prayer. 


you.     First,  the  beginning  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  what  a  tr 


ea- 

a  short  re-     sure  of  doctrine  is  contained  in  every  word  :    "  Our,11  what  it 
whatls"       sio-nirieth  :   "  Father,"  what  it  meaneth  :  and  then,  this  addi- 

taught  in  the     ,°  .  ...  , 

other  two      tion,    "  which    art  in  heaven :       how  many  things   is  to  be 

sermons.  '  «/  O 

noted  by  every  one  of  those  words.  And  I  trust  also,  you 
have  remembered  the  contents  of  the  first  petition,  Sanctifi- 
cetur  riomen  tuum,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name."  Here  I  told 
you  wherein  standeth  the  holiness  of  his  name,  and  what  it 
meaneth;  namely,  we  require  that  his  name  may  be  sanctified 
in  us,  that  is  to  say,  we  require  that  all  our  conversations 
may  be  to  the  honour  of  God,  which  followeth  when  we  en- 
deavour ourselves  to  do  his  pleasure;  when  we  hear  his  word 
with  great  diligence  and  earnest  reverence,  and  so  walk  in 
the  works  of  our  vocation,  every  man  whereunto  God  hath 
appointed  him.  And  because  the  word  of  God  is  the  instru- 
ment and  fountain  of  all  good  things,  we  pray  to  God  for  the 
continuance  of  his  word;  that  he  will  send  godly  and  well 
learned  men  amongst  us,  which  may  be  able  to  declare  us  his 
will  and  pleasure ;  so  that  we  may  glorify  him  in  the  hour2 
of  our  visitation,  when  God  shall  visit  us,  and  reward  every 
we  must  not  one  according  unto  his  desert.  One  thing  we  must  well  con- 
w!" 7m. -.we to  sider  and  not  forget  it,  namely,  that  our  Saviour  teach eth  us 

<lo  nothing  of  ^-i-prii^i'  iin  l 

ourselves      to  pray  and  desire  oi  God  that  his  name  may  be  hallowed. 

according  to  L       <J  _  « 

God's  win.  Where  he  painteth  us  in  our  own  colour,  and  would  have  us 
to  confess  om*  own  imperfections ;  that  we  be  not  able  to  do 
any  thing  according  to  God's  will,  except  we  receive  it  first 
at  his  hands.      Therefore  he  teacheth  us  to  pray,  that  God 

[i  your,  1562.] 

[2  The  old  editions  read  honour.] 


XIX.]  ON    THE     LORD'S     PRAYED.  355 

will  make  us  able  to  do  all  things  according  to  his  will  and 
pleasure. 

Adveniat   regnum   tuum.     This   is   our   request,    "  Thy 
kingdom  come.    Thou  Father,  we  beseech  thee,  let  thy  king- 
dom come  to  us."     Here  we  pray  that  the  kingdom  of  God 
come  not  to  one  only,  but  to  us  all.      So  that  when  I  say  this  we  pray  not 
prayer,   I  require   God  that  he  will   let   his  kingdom  come  aione. 
to  you  as  well  as  to  me.     Again,  when  you  pray,  you  pray 
as  well  for  me  as  for  your  own  selves.      "  Let  thy  kingdom 
come."     You  must  understand  that,  to  speak  properly,  these 
words  are  not  to  be  understood   of  God's  inferior  kingdom, 
of  his  earthly  kingdom,  as  though  it  did  hang  upon  our  peti-  what  king- 
tions,  so  that  he  could  not  be  Lord  and  ruler  over  the  earth  we  praySfora 
except  we  pray  for  him.     No :  we  pray  not  for  his  inferior 
kingdom  to  come,    for   it   is    come   already :   he  ruleth  and 
governeth  all  things.    He  is  called  in  scripture   Rex  regum,  1  Tim.  vi. 
"  The  King  above  all  kings,"  Dominus  dominantium,  "  the 
Lord  above  all  lords."     Therefore  he  ruleth  and  governeth 
all  things  according  to  his  will  and  pleasure,  as  scripture  saith, 
Voluntati  ejus  quis  resistet,  "Who  will  withstand  his  will?"  Rom.  \\. 
So   our   Saviour   reporteth,    saying,   Pater    mens    operatur 
usque   modo,    "  My  Father  worketh   hitherto,   and   I   work  J°im  v. 
also  :"     What  worketh  he  ?     He  worketh  the  works  of  go- 
vernance.   For  at  the  first  beginning  he  did  create  all  things  : 
but  he  left  them  not  so :    he  assisteth  them,  he  ruleth  them, 
according  to  his  will.      Therefore  our  Saviour  doth  not  teach 
us  to  pray  for  his  worldly  kingdom  to  come ;   for  he  ruleth 
already  as  Lord  and  King ;  yea,  and  all  the  kings  and  rulers 
rule   by   him,    by   his   permission,    as   scripture    witnesseth : 
Per  me  reges  regnant,  "Through  me,"  that  is,  "by  my  per-  Prov.  vm. 
mission,  kings  reign."     I  would  wish  of  God  that  all  kings  and 
potentates   in   the  world   would   consider   this   well,    and   so 
endeavour  themselves  to  use  their  power  to  the  honour  and 
glory  of  God,  and  not  to  presume  in  their  strength.      For  a  good  ad- 
this  is  a  good  monition  for  them,  when  God  saith,  Per  me  fo?km™ 
reges  regnant,  "  Through  me  kings  do  reign  :"  yea,  they  be 
so  under  God's  rule,  that  they  can  think  nothing  nor  do  any 
tiling  without  God's  permission.      For  it  is  written,  Cor  regis 
in  manu  Domini,  et  quo  vult  vertit  Mud ;  "  The  heart  of  the  Prov.  xxt. 
king  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  he  turneth  the  same 
whithersoever  it  pleaseth  him."     This   is   good   to   be  con- 

23—2 


356  THE    THIRD    SERMON  [sF.KM. 

a  good  lesson  sidered;   and  specially  subjects   should  mark  this  text  well. 

for  subjects.  '  r.  ■  <l  >> 

When  the  rulers  be  hard,  and  oppress  the  people,  think  ever, 
The  hearts  of  (jor  reqis  in  mnnu  Domini,   "The  king's  heart  is  in   the 

jinnces  are  «/  ° 

ofGodhand  governance  of  God."  Yea,  when  thou  art  led  to  prison, 
consider  that  the  governor's  heart  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord. 
Therefore  yield  obedience :  make  thy  moan  unto  God,  and  he 
will  help,  and  can  help.  Surely  I  think  there  be  no  place  in 
scripture  more  pleasant  than  this,  "  The  heart  of  the  king 
is  in  the  hand  of  God ;"  for  it  maketh  us  sure,  that  no 
man  can  hurt  us  without  the  permission  of  God,  our  heavenly 
Father.  For  all  those  great  rulers,  that  have  been  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world  till  now,  have  been  set  up  by  the 
appointment   of   God ;    and   he   pulled   them   down  when  it 

Fourprinci-  pleased  him.      There  have  been  principally  four  monarchies 

k's  i"iv"been  in  the  world :  the  first  were  the  Babylonians,  which  had  great 
and  many  nations  underneath  them :  which  was  God's  ordi- 
nance and  pleasure,  for  he  suffered  them  so  to  do.  After 
those  came  the  Persians,  which  were  great  rulers  and  mighty 
kings;  as  it  appeareth  by  stories  written  of  learned  men  at 
that  time.  Then  came  in  the1  Greeks,  and  took  the  dominion 
from  the  Persians,  and  ruled  themselves  for  awhile,  till  they 
were  plucked  down.  At  the  last  came  the  Romans,  with 
their  empire,  which  shall  be  the  last :  and  therefore  it  is 
a  token  that  the  end  of  the  world  is  not  far  off.  But  where- 
fore were  those  mighty  potentates  plucked  down  ?     Marry, 

The  cause     for  wickedness1  sake.  The  Babylonians,  Persians,  and  Grecians, 

monarchies    and  a  wood  part  of  the  Romans  were  cast  down  for  wicked- 
were  pulled  °  x 

down.  ness">  sake.  What  were  their  doings  ?  They  would  not  execute 
justice  :  the  magistrates  were  wicked,  lofty,  and  high-minded : 
the  subjects,  taking  ensample  of  their  magistrates,  were  wicked 
too,   and  so  worthy  to  be  punished  together.      Therefore  the 

Ecei.  in.  wisdom  of  God  saith,  Vidi  sub  sole  in  loco  judicii  impie- 
tatem  et  in  loco  justitice  iniquitatem :  "  In  the  place  where 
poor  men  ought  to  be  heard,  there  have  I  seen  impiety ; 
I  have  seen  oppression  and  extortion;  this  I  have  seen  :  yea, 
and  in  the  place  of  justice,  there  I  have  seen  bearing  and 
bolstering."  So  for  these  causes'  sake,  these  great  emperors 
were  destroyed:  so  shall  we,  if  we  follow  their  wicked  ensam- 
ples.  Esay,  that  hearty  prophet,  confirmeth  the  same,  saying, 
Exspectavi  ut  facerent  judicium,  et  ecce  iniquitas ;  exspectavi 
t1  came  the,  1562.] 


a  great 
matter. 


XIX.  ]  ON    THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  357 

ut  facerent  justitlam,  et  ecce  clamor :  "I  looked  they  should 
execute  justice,  defend  the  good,  and  punish  the  ill ;  but 
there  was   nothing   but   crying."     This  is  a  great  matter ;  The  cry  of 

O  «/        O  <~>  the  lieonie  is 

clamor  populi,  "  the  cry  of  the  people."  When  subjects  be 
oppressed,  so  that  they  cry  unto  God  for  deliverance,  truly 
God  will  hear  them ;  he  will  help  and  deliver  them.  But 
it  is  to  be  pitied  that  the  devil  beareth  so  much  rule,  and  so 
much  prevaileth  both  in  magistrates  and  subjects,  insomuch 
that  he  beareth  almost  all  the  rule.     Not  that  he  ought  to  do  The  devil  is 

°       .  not  the  right 

so ;  for  God  he  is  the  lawful  ruler  of  the  world ;  unto  him  we  ^idfthe 
owe  obedience  :  but  the  devil  is  an  usurper  ;  he  cometh  to  Ins 
dominion  by  craft  and  subtilty,  and  so  maketh  himself  the 
great  ruler  over  the  world.  Now  he,  being  the  great  ruler, 
would  have  all  the  other  rulers  to  go  after  him,  and  follow 
his  ensample,  which  commonly  happeneth  so.  For  you  know 
there  is  a  common  saying,  Similis  simili  qaudet,   "  Like  to  Like  to  like : 

J       o'  «/  that  is,  usur- 

like."    Therefore  he  useth  all  homely  tricks  to  make  all  rulers  j^no^t'ie 
to  go  after  him  :  yea,  he  intendeth  to  inveigle  even  very  kings,  |atanusurper 
and  to  make   them   negligent  in  their  business  and   office. 
Therefore  such  kings  and  potentates  were  pulled  down,  be- 
cause they  followed  the  instructions  of  the  devil. 

But  our  Saviour  speaketh  not  of  such  worldly  kingdoms, 
when  he  teacheth  us  to  say,   "  Thy  kingdom  come.1'     For 
these  worldly  kingdoms  bring  us  not  to  perfect2  felicity;  they 
be  full  of  all  manner  of  calamities  and  miseries,  death,  per- 
ditions,   and  destructions.      Therefore  the  kingdom   that  he 
speaketh  of  is  a  spiritual  kingdom ;  a  kingdom  where  God  {^jj™1*^ 
only  beareth  the  rule,  and  not  the  devil.     This  kingdom  is  jn£w  king- 
spoken  of  every  where  in  scripture,  and  was  revealed  long 
ago ;  and  daily  God  hath  his  preachers,  which  bring  us  to 
knowledge  of  this  kingdom.     Now  we  pray  here,  that  that 
kingdom  of  God  may  be  increased,  for  it  is  God's  fellowship ; 
they  are  God's  subjects  that  dwell  in  that  kingdom ;  which 
kingdom  doth   consist  in   righteousness  and  justice ;   and  it 
delivereth  from  all  calamities,  and  miseries,  from  death  and  ^°msdej"ser- 
all  peril.     And  in  this  petition  we  pray  that  God  will  send  jju  misery? 
unto  us  his  Spirit,  which  is  the  leader  unto  this  kingdom ; 
and  all  those  which  lack  this  Spirit  shall  never  come  to  God. 
For  St  Paul  saith,    Qui  Spiritum   Christi  non   habet,   non 
est  ejus ;  "  Whosoever  hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  per-  Rom.  vm. 
[2  worldly,  1562.] 


358  THE    THIRD-  SERMON  [sERM. 

Lukexvii.     taineth  not  unto  him."      Likewise  our  Saviour  saith,  Regnum 

Dei  intra  vos  est ;   "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you  :" 

oniod'be1^-  signifying,  that  those  which  have  the  Spirit  of  God  shall  be 

neth  here.     sure  0f  t}iat  kingdom :  yea,  it  beginneth  here  in  this  world 

with  them  that  be  faithful. 
th?!nstru-!s  ^nc  instrument  wherewith  we  be  called  to  this  kingdom, 

uTtoCtar"  ig  the  office  of  preaching.     God  calleth  us  daily  by  preachers 
kingdom.      to   come  to  t^g   jjjjjg^Quj .    ^0  forsake  the  kingdom  of  the 

devil ;  to  leave  all  wickedness.  For  customable  sinners,  those 
that  be  not  content  to  leave  sin,  they  pertain  not  to  that 
kingdom ;  they  are  under  the  dominion  of  the  devil ;  he  ruleth 

John  viii.      them  :  like  as  our  Saviour  saith  to  the  Jews,  Vos  ex  patre 

uohniii.  diabolo  est is ;  "The  devil  is  your  father."  Item,  Qui  facit 
peccatum  ex  diabolo  est ;  "  He  that  doth  sin  is  of  the  devil." 
Therefore  by  this  petition  we  pray,  that  we  may  be  delivered 
from  all  sin  and  wickedness,  from  the  devil  and  his  power. 

tws  is  a       We  desire  God,  that  we  may  be  his  subjects  ;  which  is  a  very 

petition.       godly  and  needful  prayer. 

Further,  by  this  petition  we  be  put  in  remembrance  what 
we  be,  namely,  captives  of  the  devil,  his  prisoners,  and  bond- 
men ;  and  not  able  to  come  at  liberty  through  our  own  power. 
Therefore  we  desire  God's  help  and  aid,  as  Christ  hath  taught 

wint'i'i'10"   us  *°  ca^  nmi  Father.      He  knew  his  affections ;  therefore  he 

,l,;'.'i'l!j'1[L,'a  commandeth  us  to  call  him  Father,  and  to  desire  his  help  to 
be  delivered  out  of  the  kingdom  of  the  devil.  Happy  are 
those  which  are  in  this  kingdom,  for  they  shall  lack  nothing ! 
And  this  kingdom  cometh  to  us  by  preaching,  by  hearing  of 

Scholars?"5 10  God's  word.  Therefore  those  that  find  scholars  to  school, 
they  are  helpers  and  furtherers  toward  this  kingdom ;  and 
truly  it  is  needful  that  there  be  made  some  provision  for 
them.  For  except  schools  and  universities  be  maintained, 
we  shall  have  no  preachers:  when  we  have  no  preachers1, 
when  we  have  none  which  shew  unto  us  God's  word,  how 
shall  we   come  to  that   blessed  kingdom  which  wo   desire  ? 

hick  liven- t0  What  availeth  it  when  you  have  gotten  many  hundred  pounds 

oi'word.  for  your  children,  and  lack  God's  word  ?  Therefore  I  say, 
this  office  must  needs  be  maintained :  for  it  is  a  necessary 
office,  which  furthereth  to  this  kingdom ;  of  which  our  Sa- 
viour  speaketh  in  the1  gospel  to  the   Jews,    saying,   Instat 

Lukex.        regnum  cailorum ;   "The   kingdom   of   God  is   come   near." 
['  when  we  have  no  preachers,  not  in  15S4,  1607.] 


XIX.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  359 

Likewise  he  saith  to  one,  Sequere  me,  et  annuucia  verbum  Luke  >*• 
Dei ;  "  Follow  me,  and  preach  the  kingdom  of  God."  So 
ought  all  preachers  to  do :  they  ought  to  allure  every  man 
to  come  to  this  kingdom,  that  this  kingdom  may  be  re- 
plenished. For  the  more  that  be  converted,  the  more  is  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Again,  those  that  be  wicked  livers,  they 
help  to  multiply  the  kingdom  of  the  devil.  To  this  heavenly 
kingdom  our  Saviour  exhorteth  us,  saying,  Qucerite  prvmum 
regnum  Dei  et  justitiam  ejus,  et  cetera  omnia  adjicientur 
vobis ;  "  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness, 
and  all  other  things  shall  come  upon  you  unlooked  for." 
Jacta  super  Dominum  curam  tuam ;  "  Cast  all  thy  care  Psai.  w. 
upon  God,"  as  David  saith.     Then  our  principal  study  shall  dities  that 

1  .  come  of  cast- 

be  to  hear  God's  word,  and  when  Ave  have  heard  it,  we  shall  ins  oul  cfe 

upon  uoq. 

believe  it  and  follow   it,  every  man  in  his  vocation.     Then 

servants  shall  yield  their  obedience  to  their  masters,  as  God 

require  th  of  them.      Then  the  parents  shall  bring  up  their 

children  in  the  fear  of  God.     Then  the  children  shall  be 

obedient  to  their  parents.      Then  subjects  shall  be  obedient 

to  their  king  and  prince,  and  all  his  officers  under  him.     So 

go  throughout  all  estates,  every  one  shall  live  uprightly  in 

his  calling.    Then  God  will  bless  us,  so  that  we  shall  lack  no2 

necessaries  in  this  world;  and  then,  at  the  end,  we  shall  come 

to  that  perfect  felicity  and  joy,  that  God  hath  laid  up  and 

prepared  for  them  that  study  here  to  live  according  to  his 

will  and  commandment3.     But  we  must  labour  and  travail ; 

as  long  as  we  be  in  this  world  Ave  must  be  occupied.     For 

St   Paul   saith,    Si   quis   non   milt  operari,  nee  manducet ; 

"Whosoever  will   not  labour,   let   him  not  eat."      LikeAvise  2  Thess.  m. 

David  saith,  Labores  manuum  tuarum  comedes,  et  bene  tibi 

erit ;  "  Thou  shalt  eat  the  labours  of  thy  hand,  and  it  shall  Psal- cxxviii' 

go  well  Avith  thee."     For  he  that  will  labour,  and  is  content  He  that  wiii 

o  not  labour  is 

to  travail  for  his  living,  God  will  prosper  him ;  he  shall  not  tn0ote^orthy 
lack.  Let  every  man  therefore  labour  in  his  calling ;  for 
so  did  our  Saviour  himself,  Avhich  came  into  this  world  to 
teach  us  the  way  to  heaven,  and  to  suffer  death  for  us.  Now 
how  diligent  he  hath  been  in  his  office,  it  appeareth  every 
where.  For  the  evangelist  saith,  Loquebatur  Mis  de  regno 
Dei;  "He  talketh  with  them  of  the  kingdom  of  God."    Mark 

[2  not  lack,  1562,  1571.] 

[3  testament,  most  of  the  old  editions  after  1562.] 


360 


HIKU    SERMON 


[SEKM. 


Christ  taught 
not  of  the 
kingdom  of 
tins  world. 


We  must  lly 
to  God  for 
rescue. 


A  note  for 
gospellers. 


here,  he  taught  them  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  he  taught  them 
nothing  of  the  kingdom  of  this  world.  For  he  saith,  stand- 
ing before  Pilate,  Regnum  meum  non  est  de  hoc  mundo ; 
"  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world."  He  reigneth  by  faith, 
through  his  Holy  Ghost,  in  all  those  which  pertain  unto  him. 
He  is  not  an  earthly  long,  as  the  Jews  hope  to  have  their 
Messias.  Therefore  when  I  feel  such  motions  within  me, 
then  is  it  time  to  call  upon  God ;  for  such  motions  come  of  the 
devil :  therefore  I  must  run  to  God,  saying,  "  Thy  kingdom 
come,  most  loving  Father ;  help  thou ;  fight  thou  for  me 
against  my  enemies ;  suffer  me  not  to  be  taken  prisoner ; 
let  not  my  enemies  have  the  victory  over  me."  So  we  must 
call  upon  God  without  intermission1.  For  you  may  be  sure 
we  shall  never  be  without  battle  and  travail ;  and  we  are  not 
able  to  withstand  our  adversary  by  our  own  power :  there- 
fore it  is  most  needful  for  us  to  call  and  cry  unto  him  for 
help.  When  we  do  so,  then  we  shall  have  grace  to  with- 
stand the  devil ;  for  he  cannot,  neither  is  he  able  to  strive 
with  God,  for  all  his  craft.  For  the  scripture  saith,  Non  est 
consilium  contra  Dominum ;  "  No  wisdom,  no  craft  can  pre- 
vail against  the  Lord."  He  will  help  and  deliver  us  when 
he  seeth  his  time :  for  commonly  the  nature  of  God  is  to 
help  when  all  man's  help  is  past.  When  the  devil  thinketh 
himself  cock-sure,  then  God  cometh  and  subverteth  his  wicked 
intents ;  as  it  appeared  in  our  Saviour  himself :  for  when  the 
devil  had  brought  the  Jews  to  such  a  madness  that  they  went 
and  crucified  him,  when  this  was  done,  the  devil  triumphed 
and  made  merry  ;  he  thought  himself  sure  enough  of  him. 
But  what  was  the  end  of  it  ?  His  triumphing  was  turned  to2 
his  own  destruction.  For  Christ  hanging  upon  the  cross  did 
by  his  death  destroy  the  power  of  the  devil.  So  we  see  how 
God  suffereth  the  devil  for  awhile,  and  then  when  he  seeth 
his  time,  he  cometh  with  his  gracious  helping  hand.  But, 
as  I  told  you  before,  the  devil  hath  many  inventions,  many 
impediments  and  lets,  wherewith  he  trappeth  us.  For  we 
see  there  be  a  great  many  gospellers,  which  begun  very  well 
and  godly,  but  now  the  most  part  of  them  become  ambitious 
and  covetous  persons  ;  all  the  world  is  full  of  such  fellows. 
But  what  then  ?     God  will  preserve  his   kingdom ;  he  will 

[l  intercession,  most  of  the  editions  after  1562.] 
['-'  into,  15S4.] 


XIX.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  361 

wrestle  with  the  devil's  kingdom,  and  so  shall  prevail  and 

pull  it  down  to  the  bottom.     Therefore  all  those  which  be 

in  the  kingdom  of  God  must  wrestle,  strive,  and  fight  with 

the  devil :  not  as  the  carnal  gospellers  do,  which  commonly  camai  gos- 

begin  well  at  the  first,  but  now  having  rest  and  tranquillity, 

and  all  things  going  with  them,  they  leave  the  gospel,  and 

set  their  minds  upon  this  naughty  world.     Therefore  it  is 

good  and  needful  for  us  to  have  afflictions  and  exercises ;  for, 

as    St  Augustine   saith3,   Sanctis   Christianorum  est  veluti 

semen  fructuum  evangelicorum  ;  "  The  blood  of  Christians  is,  The  blood  of 

as  it  were,  the  seed  of  the  fruit  of  the  gospel4."     For  when  ^ellf^d0^f 

one  is  hanged  here,  and  another  yonder,  then  God  goeth  a  th0  goSDel- 

sowing  of  his  seed.     For  like  as  the  corn  that  is  cast  into  the 

ground  riseth  up  again,  and  is  multiplied ;   even  so  the  blood 

of  one  of  those  which  suffer  for  God's  word's5  sake  stirreth 

up  a  great  many.     And  happy  is  he  to  whom  it  is  given  to 

suffer  for  God's  hoi  v  word's  sake!     For  it  is  the  greatest  To  die  for 

•  t      n       n     t,    Christisthe 

promotion  that  a  man  can  have  in  this  world,  to  die  lor  God  s  greatest 

1  J  promotion. 

sake,  or  to  be  despised  and  contemned  for  his  sake :  for  they 
shall  be  well  rewarded  for  their  pains  and  labours.     Merces 
vestra  multa  est  in  ccelis  :  "  Your  reward,"  saith  our  Saviour,  Matt.  v. 
"  shall  be  great  in  heaven." 

Further,  when  we  pray,  Adveniat  regnum  tuum,  "  Thy 
kingdom  come,"  we  desire  of  God  that  there  may  come  more 
and  more  to  the  knowledge  of  God's  word.    And  secondarily, 
we  desire  of  God  to  bring  those  which  be  come  already  to  He  that  en- 
the  perfect  knowledge  of  his  word,  and  so  to  keep  them  in  it  be  saved. 
still  to  the  very  end :  for  not  he  that  beginneth,  but  he  that 
endureth  shall  be  saved.      This  kingdom  of  God  is  double,  The  kingdom 
regnum  gratice,  et  regnum  glorice,  "  The  kingdom  of  grace,  double." 
and  the  kingdom  of  glory,  honour,  joy,  and  felicity."      As 
long  as  we  be  in  this  world,  we  be  in  the  kingdom  of  grace ; 
when  we  are  gone,  then  we  shall  come  to  the  kingdom  of 
glory.      For  as  long  as  we  be  here,    God  sheweth  himself 
unto  us  by  grace ;   he  ascertaineth  us  through  his  Spirit  of 

[3  This  sentiment  frequently  occurs  in  the  writings  of  St  Augustine: 
e.  g.  Oper.  Tom.  iv.  col.  244 :  Tom.  v.  col.  83.  Edit.  Bened.  Antverp. 
1700.] 

[4  "  The  blood  of  Christians  is,  as  it  were,  the  seed  of  the  fruit  of 
the  gospel,"  not  in  1562.] 

[5  God's  holy  word's,  1584.] 


362  THE    THIRD    SERMON  [sERM. 

his  favour,  and  so  he  reigneth  within  us  by  grace.  But  when 
we  be  once  gone,  then  we  shall  see  him  face  to  face ;  which 
we  cannot  as  long  as  we  be  here.  For  he  exhibiteth  himself 
unto  us,  not  so  plainly  as  he  doth  unto  his  angels,  which 
be  with  him  in  the  kingdom  of  glory.  Therefore  when  we 
say,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  we  desire  of  God  that  he  will 
The  meaning  help  us  to  this  perfect  kingdom,  that  he  will  deliver  us  out  of 

of  this  peti-  l  i  i  i       •  • 

tion  in  few     this  troublous  world,  and  give  us  everlasting  rest. 

words.  O  o 

I  fear  there  be  a  great  number  in  England,  which  if  they 
knew  what  they  meant  in  speaking  these  words,  "  Thy  king- 
dom come,"  they  would  never  say  them.  For  they  arc  so 
given  to  the  world,  and  so  set  their  mind  upon  it,  that  they 
could  be  content  that  there  should  never  be  any  end  of  it. 
worldlings    Such  worldlings,  when  they  say  these  words,  "  Thy  kingdom 

pray  against  °  .  '  «/  O 

uh.T'he"     come>"  they  pray  against  themselves  :  for  they  desire  God  to 

prayer.5        take  ^em  out  °f  t^s  world  speedily,  and  yet  they  have  all 

their  delight  in  it.     Therefore  such  worldlings  when  they  say, 

"  Thy  kingdom  come,"  either  they  mock  God ;  or  else  they 

understand  not  the  meaning  of  these  words.      But  we  ought 

not  to  trifle  with  God  :  we  should  not  mock  him :  he  will  not 

be  despised.     Quicquid  petimus,  ardenter  petamus,  tanquam 

we  must  he   cupientes  habere*;  "Let  us  pray  heartily  unto  him,  desirous 

have' that  we  to  have  the  thing  wherefore  we  pray."      But  the  customable 

pray  for.  .  °  -i  n 

impenitent  sinner  cannot  say  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart 
this  prayer ;  for  he  would  have  no  end  of  this  worldly  life  ; 
he  would  have  his  heaven  here.  Such  fellows  are  not  meet 
to  say,  "  Thy  kingdom  come  ;"  for  when  they  do,  they  pray 
we  cannot    against  themselves.      Therefore  none   can   say  this   petition, 

pray  truly  ~  . 

lii'rie'be""'  kut  sucn  as  be  aweary  of  this  world.  Such  faithful  folk 
wor7Iofthis  would  have  him  to  come  speedily,  and  make  an  end  of  their 
miseries.  It  is  with  the  Christians  like  as  it  is  in  a  realm 
where  there  is  a  confusion,  and  no  good  order :  those  which 
are  good  would  fain  have  a  parliament ;  for  then  they  think 
it  shall  be  better  with  them,  they  trust  all  things  shall  be 
well  amended.  Sometimes  the  councils  be  good,  but  the 
constitutions  like  not  the  wicked,  and  so  they  begin  to  cry 
out  as  fast  as  they  did  before.  Sometimes  the  councils  be 
naught,  then  the  good  people  cry  out ;  and  so  they  be  never 
Theparha-    at  rest.     But  there  is  one  parliament  that  will  remedy  all  the 

Hunt  kept  by  x  " 

dayof jud.'f  matters :  be  they  never  so  weighty  or  heavy,  it  will  despatch 

[x  Musculus.l 


XIX.]  OX    THE     LORD^     PRAYER.  363 

them  clean.     And  tins  parliament  will  be  sufficient  for   all  Smalld 
realms  of  the  whole  world :  which  is  the  last  day.      Where  aiuhm™kr 
our  Saviour  himself  will  hear  the  rule,  there  shall  be  nothing- 
done  amiss,  I  warrant  you ;  but  every  one  as  he  hath  de- 
served, so  he  shall  have :  the  wicked  shall  have  hell,  the  good 
shall  possess  heaven.      Now  this  is  the  thing  that  we  pray  for 
when  we  say,  "  Thy  kingdom  come  :"  and  truly  the  faithful  The  faithtui 
penitent  sinners  do  desire  that  parliament,    even   from    the  smn'rs'l.m'ke 
bottom  of  their  hearts.      For  they  know  that  therein  reform-  from  the  bot- 

<>  torn  of  their 

ations  of  all  things  shall  be  had :  they  know  that  it  shall nearts- 
be  well  with  them  in  that  day ;  and  therefore  they  say  from 
the  bottom  of  their   hearts,   "  Thy  kingdom  come."     They 
know  that  there   shall   be  a  great   difference  between  that 
parliament  that  Christ  shall  keep,  and  the  parliaments  of  this 
world.     For  in  this  world  this  is  the  common  rule,  Quo  scele- 
ratior  eo  fortunatior ;   "  The  more  wicked,  the  better  luck.,,  The  more 
Which  is  a  wonderful  thing  to  consider  how  it  cometh  to  pass,  more  lucky, 
that  for  the  most  part  wicked  bodies  have   the   best  luck. 
They  are  in  wealth  and  health  ;  insomuch  that  a  man  may 
much  marvel  at  it,  as  Esdras,  David,  and  others  do :  specially 
considering  that  God  curseth  them  in  his  laws,  and  threaten-  God  curseth 
eth  them  that  they  shall  have  none  of  Ins  benefits  :    Si  non  and  yet  they 

"  ,  have  the 

audieris  vocem  Domini,  maledictus  in  aqro ;  "If  thou  wilt  bleb;sinss ;°f 

'  J        '  God  in  this 

not  hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  thou  shalt  be  cursed  world- 

in  the  field,   &C.11     These  be  the  words  of  God,  which  he 

speaketh  against  the  wicked ;  and  it  must  needs  be  so,  but 

yet  we   see  by  experience  daily  the  contrary.     Wherefore 

doth  God  suffer  the  wicked  to  subvert  his  order  ?    The  order 

is,  that    those  which  do  well  shall  receive  good   things  at 

God's  hand ;  they  shall  be  blessed,  and  all  things  shall  go 

well  with  them.      Now,  how  chanceth  it  that  we  see  daily  the 

wicked  to  be  blessed  of  God,  to  have  and  possess  his  benefits, 

and  the  good  to    be   cursed,  which   is  a  wonderful   thing  ? 

God  the  Almighty,  which  is  most  true,  yea,  the  Truth  itself, 

doth  it  not  without  a  cause.    One  cause  is,  that  it  is  Ins  plea-  0ne  cause 

sure  to  shew  his  benefits  as  well  unto  the  wicked  as  to  the  ^vlth  the 

good.      For  he  lettcth  them  have  their  pastime  here,  as  it  is  thfswTid to 

written,   Solem  suum   oriri  sinit  super  justos   et  injustos ; 

"  He  letteth  his  sun  shine  as  well  over  the  wicked  as  over  Matt.  v. 

the  good."     And  I  tell  you,  tins  is  for  the  exercise  of  those  Another 

which  serve  God  with  godly  living :  they  are  promised,  that 


364-  THE    THIRD    SERMON  [sERM. 

it  shall  go  well  with  them,  and  yet  have  they  all  the  ill. 
This  maketh  them  to  think  that  there  is  another  world, 
wherein  they  shall  be  rewarded ;  and  so  giveth  them  occasion 
to  hawk  and  hunt  for  the  other  world :  whereas  otherwise 
they  would  forget  God,  if  they  should  have  all  things  accord- 
ing to  their  hearts'  desire,  as  the  wicked  have ;  which  in  very 
deed  do  forget  God,  their  mind  being  so  occupied  Avith  other 
business,  that  they  can  have  no  leisure  to  inquire  for  God 
a  timd cause.  or  hjs  kingdom.  Again,  he  suffereth  them  to  turn  Ins  order, 
to  the  intent  that  they  may  be  brought  to  repentance,  when 
they  see  his  great  goodness  shewed  unto  them ;  in  that, 
notwithstanding  all  their  wickedness,  he  suffereth  them  to  en- 
joy the  good  things  of  the  world.  And  so  by  his  benefits  he 
would  give  them  occasion  to  leave  sin  and  wickedness :  as  St 
Paul  saith,  Dei  bonitas  te  ad  poenitentiam  adducit ;  "  The 
goodness  of  God  allureth  us  to  amendment  of  our  life."  But 
when  they  will  not  amend,  then  Cumulant  sibi  ipsis  tram  in 
die  irce,  "  They  heap  up  to  themselves  the  wrath  of  God 
in  the  day  of  wrath." 

Now  you  have  heard  the  causes,  wherefore  God  suffereth 
the  wicked  to  enjoy  his  gifts.      But  I  would  will  and  desire 
you  most  heartily,  for  God's  sake,  to  consider  that  the  judg- 
God'sjudg-    ment  of  God  at  the  latter  day  shall  be  right,  according  unto 
rigiueouse.     justice :    it  will  then   appear  who   hath  been   good  or  bad. 
And  this  is  the  only  comfort  of  all  christian  people,  that  they 
know  that  they  shall  be  delivered  from  all  their  troubles  and 
vexations.      Let  us  therefore  have  a  desire  that  this  day  may 
The  comfort  conie  quickly.     Let  us  hasten  God  forward.     Let  us  cry  unto 
christians,     him  day  and  night,  Adveniat  regnum  tuum;  "  Most  merciful 
Father,  thy  kingdom  come."     St  Paul  saith,  Non  veniet  Do- 
minus  nisi  veniat  defectio ;  "  The  Lord  will  not  come  till  the 
swerving  from  faith  cometh:"   which  thing  is  already  done 
Antichrist  is  and   past.      Antichrist   is   knoAvn   throughout   all  the  world. 

already  l  &  , 

known  in  aii  Wherefore  the  day  is  not  far  off.      Let  us  beware,  for  it  will 

the  world.  J 

one  day  fall  upon  our  heads.  St  Peter  saith,  Finis  omnium 
appropinquat ;  "  The  end  of  all  things  draweth  very  near1." 
If  St  Peter  said  so  in2  his  time,  how  much  more  shall  we  say 
so !  For  it  is  a  long  time  since  St  Peter  spake  these  words. 
The  world  was  ordained  to  endure,  as  all  learned  men  affirm 

['  draweth  near,  1584,  1607.] 
[2  at,  1562.] 


xrx.]  on   the    lord's   PRAYER.  ofio 

and  prove  it  with  scripture,  six  thousand  years3.  Now  of  The  time  of 
that  number  there  be  passed  five  thousand  [five  hundred]  and 
fifty-two4;  so  that  there  is  no  more  left  but  four  hundred  and 
forty-eight.  And  furthermore,  those  days  shall  be  shortened  : 
it  shall  not  be  full  six  thousand  years.  Nam  abbreviabuntur 
dies  propter  electos ;  "  The  days  shall  be  shortened  for  the  Thedays 
elect's  sake."  Therefore  all  those  excellent  learned  men,  shortened 
which  without  doubt  God  hath  sent  into  this  world  in  these  cnosen-ssake. 
latter  days  to  give  the  world  warning,  all  those  men  do  gather 
out  of  scripture  that  the  last  day  cannot  be  far  off.  And  this 
is  most  certain  and  sure,  that  whensoever  he  cometh,  he 
cometh  not  too  timely  ;  for  all  things  which  ought  to  come 
before  are  passed  now :  so  that  if  he  come  this  night  or  to- 
morrow, he  cometh  not  too  early.  Therefore,  good  people, 
let  us  make  ready  towards  his  coming.  And  though  he  cometh 
not  at  this  time,  yet  let  us  make  ready  ;  for  we  are  not  sure 
when  we  shall  be  called  to  make  account  before  the  Lord. 
All  good  and  godly  people  since  the  world  began  endeavoured 
themselves  to  make  ready  towards  this  day.  But,  O  Lord, 
how  wretched  and  miserable,  yea,  and  how  careless  we  be ! 
Therefore  it  will5  be  like  as  he  saith :  Cum  dixerint,  Pax  et 
tranquillitas,  "  When  they  say,  all  thing  is  well  and  quiet," 
tunc  repentinus  superveniet  Mis  interitus,  "  then  they  shall 
be  suddenly  taken,  and  perish;"  like  as  dives  epulo,  that  rich 
glutton,  did.  He  ate  and  drank,  he  builded  a  new  barn,  (for 
the  old  was  too  little  for  him,)  then  he  said  to  himself,  "  Now 
my  soul,  now  be  merry  and  take  thy  pleasure ;  for  thou  hast 
riches  enough  for  many  years."  But  what  said  God  ?  What 
said  he?  Stulte,  hac  node,  "  Thou  fool,  this  night  they  will  Fooisdo 
fetch  thy  soul  from  thee:  whose  shall  those  riches  be  then ™ion for 

"  pleasure  in 

which  thou  hast  heaped  up?"     And  so  shall  all   those  hethislile- 
taken  and  trapped  like  this  epulo,  which  will  not  make  ready, 
wliich  refuse  the  warnings  of  God ;  they  shall  be  taken  so 

[3  This  opinion  was  common  in  the  church  from  a  very  early 
period,  having  been  most  probably  derived  from  the  rabbinical  theo- 
logy. (Barnabas,  Epist.  c.  15;  Irenajus,  v.  28,  c.  31.)  The  expec- 
tations prevalent  on  this  subject  in  the  time  of  bishop  Latimer  may  be 
seen  in  Osiander,  "  The  conjecture  of  the  end  of  the  World,"  &c, 
translated  by  George  Joye,  1548.] 

[4  The  old  editions  read  only,  "five  thousand  fifty-two."] 

[•"•  shall,  1584,  1607.] 


other  men 
to  maintain 
his  own 
delicious 
diet. 


366  THE    THIRD    SERMON  [sERM. 

suddenly  to  their  everlasting  wo.    For  scripture  giveth  warn- 
ing unto  every  one,  saying,  Sicut  in  diebus  Noah,  §c.    "Like 
shlui'bei'ike  as  m  tne  days  of  Noah,  they  will  eat  and  drink,  and  marry, 
theday  of     &c»    To  eat?  anci  to  clrmk,  and  marry,  is  godly  and  lawful ; 
but  to  do  it  otherwise  than  God  hath  commanded,  it  is  wicked 
Heeateth      and  damnable.     To  eat  without  thanksgiving,  or  to  eat  other 

other  men's  i 

iiesh  that      men's1  flesh,  or  to  play  the  glutton  more  than  sumcetn  nature, 

doth  oppress  '  x       «  °  ' 

this  is  wicked.  Item,  to  marry  upon  other  respects  than  God 
hath  appointed  and  expressed  in  his  most  holy  laws,  is  wicked 
and  damnable:  else,  Honorabile  conjuginm  inter  omnes,  "Mar- 
riage is  honourable  amongst  all  men;"  but  to  marry  for  wan- 
tonness' sake,  that  is  wicked.  Viderunt  filii  Dei  filias  ho- 
ne children  minum ;  "The  sons  of  God  saw  the  daughters  of  men."  This 
theKood       did  Noah  rebuke  in  his  time,  but  thev  laughed  at  it.      He 

men,  and  the  "  ° 

men'are  the   prepared  the  ark,  and  went  into  it :  at  the  length  the  flood 

wicked.        fcjj  Up0n  tneir  heads.    Sicut  in  diebus  Loth,  "As  in  the  days 

of  Lot :"   what  did  they  ?     Ingressus  es  advena,  "  Thou  art 

come  hither  a  stranger."     Regarding  nothing   God's  word, 

which  was  shewed  unto  them  through  that  good  man  Lot, 

they  were  wicked,  whoremongers,  drunkards,  covetous  persons. 

But  what  followeth ;  what  followeth,  I  say  ?     Consider  the 

end :   "  The  fire  from  heaven  fell  upon  them  suddenly  and 

we  are  not    consumed  them  all."      At  nos  non  sumus  in  tenebris;   "We 

in  "ark,lcss-   bo  not  in  darkness."     We  have  the  word  of  God,  we  know 

what  is  his  will ;    therefore  let  us  watch,   for  he  will  come 

like  a  thief  in  the  night.     Happy  are  we  if  he  shall  find  us 

watching ! 

This  is  the  effect  of  this  petition,  wherein  we  desire  that 
God  will  send  down  faith  from  heaven ;   that  he  will  continue 
in  me  my  faith,  and  every  man's,  so  that  we  may  be  ready 
to  go  with  him  when  his  kingdom  shall  come.     Now  as  many 
mayrknowC   as  pertain  to  this  kingdom  of  God,  shall  have  one  property 
a'ppertanVto   amongst  other  things, — they  shall  have  an  earnest  mind  and 
kingdom,      stedfast  purpose  to  leave  sin,  according  to  St  Paul's  saying, 
Ne  regnet  igitur peccatum  in  vestro  mortali  corpore;  "Let 
not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  bodies.1''      God's  king- 
dom shall  reign  in  us,  and  not  the  devil's.     Therefore  when 
the  devil  tempteth  thee,  withstand  him ;   give  not  over ;   let 
him  not  get  the  victory.      As  for  an  ensample  :  Avhen  thou 
seest  a  fair  woman,  an  ill  desire  riseth  up  in  thy  heart  towards 
\}  Old  editions,  cither  man's.] 


The  effect  of 
this  petition. 


A  note 


XIX.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PBAYEB.  367 

her  :  this  lust  is  of  the  devil  Call  therefore  for  help  ;  let 
him  not  occupy  thy  heart.  Then  surely  God  will  help,  God  win  help 
for  ho  hath  promised,  Nulla  condemnatio  Us  qui  sunt  in w  ' 
Christo ;  "  There  is  no  condemnation  to  such  as  are  in  Christ 
Jesu  ;"  when  we  do  not  allow  sin,  nor  agree  unto  it.  There- 
fore dispose  yourselves  so  to  live  according  unto  his  will, 
which  can  and  will  preserve  us  from  the  devil,  and  bring  us 
into  his  kingdom.  Which  grant  us  God  the  Father,  God  the 
Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost !    Amen. 


368 


THE    FOURTH     SERMON 


THE   FOURTH   SERMON   UPON   THE    LORD'S   PRAYER. 


[MATTHEW  VI  10.] 
Fiat  voluntas  tua. 
Thy  will  be  done. 


The- third 


After  this  form  our  Saviour,  a  perfect  schoolmaster, 
the'pate^  taught  christian  people  to  pray,  "  Our  Father,  which  art  in 
n'nl! 'is a     heaven  ;  thy  will  be  done."     And  here  he  teacheth  us  two 

perfect 

school-        things,  as  he  did  afore  in   the   other   petitions.      First,   he 

master.  °  x 

ethus twoh"  teacheth  us  to  understand  what  we  be  of  ourselves ;  namely, 
ti.in^ .  m  this  notliing  at  all,  not  able  to  do  any  tiling  pleasant  to  God :  and 
so  he  plucketh  us  down,  cutteth  off  our  combs,  bringeth  us 
low;  which   else  would   be   proud,   as   though  we  could  do 
somewhat  that  we  cannot  do   indeed :   like  as  those  merit- 
Merit-         mongers  do,  which  esteem  themselves  after  their  merits,  think 
themselves  perfect ;  insomuch  that  their  works  shall  not  only 
help  themselves,  but  also  others :  therefore  they  take  in  hand 
to  sell  them  for  money.      These  fellows  know  not  themselves, 
and  therefore  they  do  contrary  unto  this  petition.    Where  our 
Saviour  teacheth  us,  that  we  can  do  nothing  of  ourselves ; 
they,  contrary  to  that  petition,  will  do  all  things  alone,  and 
with  their  merits  bring  to  pass  all  matters.     But  our  Saviour, 
contrary  to  that,   teacheth  us  two    things   in   this  petition: 
to  know       first,  he  pulleth  down  our  stomachs,  and  teacheth  us  to  know 

ourselves  is  '  1 

whatwl'shkli  ourselves:    secondarily,   he  sheweth  us  what  we   shall   do; 

dothesecond- namely,  call  upon  God  our  heavenly  Father,  that  he1  will 
help  us,  that  we  may  be  able  to  do  his  will ;  for  of  our  own 
selves  we  are  not  able  to  do  any  thing  acceptable  unto  him. 
And  this  is  a  good  doctrine,  which  admonisheth  us  to  give  all 
praise  unto  God,  and  not  to  ascribe  it  to  our  own  selves  : 

raui  gave  aii  for  so  did  St  Paul  when  he  said,  Omnia  possum  in  eo  qui 

to  God.         comfortat  me;   "I  am  able  to  do  all  things  that  pertain  to 

God's  honour  and  glory,  through  him  that  strengthened  me." 

He  said  not,  "  through  mine  own  self ;"  but,  "  through  God 

which  helpeth  me."      And  here  appeareth  the  right  humilia- 

t1  who,  1584.] 


XX.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  369 

tion  and  lowliness,  which  our  Saviour  teacheth  us  in  this 
petition.  For  he  would  have  us  to  know  our  own  impossibility 
and  unableness  to  do  any  thing ;  and  then,  again,  he  would 
have  us  to  call  for  aid  and  help  to  God;  therefore  he  teacheth 
us  to  say,  Adveniat  regnum  tuum,  "  Thy  kingdom  come ;" 
so  that  though  we  be  not  able  through  our  own  selves  to  do 
any  thing,  yet  when  we  call  upon  him  he  will  help.  For 
Christ  knew  Ins  Father's  will  and  loving  affections  towards 
us :  he  knew  that  he  would  help  us,  for  he  was  a  perfect 
schoolmaster ;  else  he  would  not  have  commanded  us  to  pray, 
Fiat  voluntas  tua,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 

Here  we  must  understand,  that  the  will  of  God  is  to  be  God's  win 

must  be  con- 

considered  after  two  sorts.  First,  as  it  is  omnipotent,  un-  f^'^r^ter 
searchable,  and  that  cannot  be  known  unto  us.  Now  we  do 
not  pray  that  his  will  so  considered  be  done.  For  his  will 
so  considered  is  and  ever  shall  be  fulfilled,  though  we  would 
say  nay  to  it.  For  nothing,  either  in  heaven  or  in  earth, 
is  able  to  withstand  his  will.  Wherefore  it  were  but  folly  for 
us  to  pray  to  have  it  fulfilled,  otherwise  than  to  shew  thereby 
that  we  give  our  consent  to  his  will,  which  is  to  us  unsearch- 
able. But  there  is  another  consideration  of  God's  will2;  and 
in  that  consideration  we  and  all  faithful  Christians  desire  that 
it  may  be  done :  and  so  considered,  it  is  called  a  revealed, 
a  manifested,  and  declared  will ;  and  it  is  opened  unto  us 
in  the  bible,  in  the  new  and  old  testament :  there  God  hath 
revealed  a  certain  will ;  therefore  we  pray  that  it  may  be 
done  and  fulfilled  of  us.      This  will  was  opened  by  Moses  and«od-swiii 

1  "     m  was  opened 

the  holy  prophets,  and  afterward  by  our  Saviour  himself  and  ^e^,snets 
his  apostles ;  which  he  left  behind  him  to  that  end,  that  they  SjfJJJ^aL 
should  instruct  the  world  and  teach   them   his  will :   which 
apostles  have  done  according  to  their  master's  commandment; 
for  they  not  only  spake  it,  but  also  wrote  it  to  that  end  that 
it  should  remain  to  the  world's  end.     And  truly  we  are  much 
bound  to  God,  that  he  hath  set  out  this  his  will  in  our  na-  A  blessing 
tural  mother  tongue,  in  English,  I  say,  so  that  now  you  may  ° 
not  only  hear  it,   but  also  read  it  yourselves ;   which  thing- 
is  a  great  comfort  to  every  christian  heart.    For  now  you  can 
no  more  be  deceived,  as  you  have  been  in  times  past,  when 
we  did  bear  you  in  hand  that  popery  was  the  word  of  God  : 
which  falsehood  we  could  not  have  brought  to  pass,  if  the 
[2  holy  will,  1584.] 

24 
[latimer.] 


370  THE    FOURTH     SERMON  [.SERM. 

They  cannot  word  of  God,    the  biblo,   had  been  abroad  in    the   common 

be  deceived  .  . 

ii!, ''i.'ii.'ic m    tongue :  for  then  you  might  have  perceived  yourselves  our 
tongue"0"1"  falsehood  and  blindness.      This  I  speak  to  that  end,  to  move 
you  to  thankfulness  towards  him  Avhich  so  lovingly  provideth 
all  things  necessary  to  our  salvation. 
The  law  of  Now  to  the  matter.     Almighty  God,  I  say,  set  out  his 

°hJooking"  w^l  %  Moses  and  his  prophets ;  and  this  will  is  contained  in 
certain  laws,  which  laws  God  commandeth  that  we  should 
keep  ever  before  our  eyes,  and  look  upon  them  as  in  a  glass ; 
and  so  learn  to  order  our  lives  according  unto  the  same 
And  in  case  that  a  man  swerve  from  the  same,  and  so  fall 
into  the  danger  of  damnation,  God  revealed  further  his  will, 
how  to  remedy  the  matter,  namely,  by  repentance  and  faith ; 
The  way  to  so  that  whosoever  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart  is  sorry  for 
sin.  his  sins,  and  studieth  to  leave  them  and  live  uprightly,  and 

then  believeth  in  our  Saviour,  confessing  that  he  came  into 
this  world  to  make  amends  for  our  sins,  this  man  or  woman 
shall  not  perish,  but  have  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  so  obtain 
everlasting  life.  And  this  will  God  revealcth  specially  in  the 
new  testament,  where  our  Saviour  saith,  Qui  credit  in  vie 
habet  vitam  cetemam;  "  Whosoever  believeth  in  me  hath 
everlasting  life :"  where  we  learn  that  our  Saviour  is  or- 
dained of  God  to  bring  us  to  heaven,  else  we  should  have 
been  all  damned  world  without  end.  So  that  in  this  prayer, 
Themeaning  when  we  say,  "  Thy  will  be  dono,"  we  desire  of  God  that  he 
petition.  wm  hejp  an(j  strengthen  us,  so  that  we  may  keep  his  holy 
laws  and  commandments.  And  then  again  we  desire  of  him, 
that  he  will  endue  us  with  the  gift  of  faith ;  so  that  we  may 
believe  that  all  those  things  which  we  do  contrary  to  his 
laws,  be  pardoned  and  forgiven  unto  us  through  his  Son, 
for  his  passion's  sake.  And  further,  we  desire  him  that  ho 
will  fortify  and  strengthen  us,  so  that  we  may  withstand  the 
devil's  will  and  our  own,  which  fight  against  God's  will ;  so 
that  we  may  be  able  to  bear  all  tribulations  and  afflictions 
willingly  and  patiently,  for  his  sake.  This  is  the  simple 
meaning  of  this  petition,  when  Ave  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 

I  will  go  a  little  further,  and  shew  you  somewhat  more 

of  it :  yet  I  intend  not  to  tarry  long,  for  I  am  not  very  well 

at  ease  this  morning ;  therefore  I  will  make  it  short.      I  have 

we  must      said  now  many  times,  and  I  say  it  yet  again,    Quod  petimus, 

the  heart,      ardenter  petamiis  tanquam  ciqrientes  habere;  "Whatsoever 


XX.]  ON    THE     LORD'S     PRAYER.  37l 

we  desire  of  God,  let  us  desire  it  from  the  bottom  of  our 

hearts."     But  I  fear  me,  there  be  many  which  say  this  prayer, 

and  yet  cannot  tell  what  they  say ;    or  at  the   least  their 

hearts  are  contrary  disposed  unto  it.      Such  people  I  exhort 

on  God's  behalf  to  consider  them  duties,  to  consider  that  God 

will  not  be  mocked  withal,  he  will  not  be  derided.    We  laugh  Who  they  be 

God  to  scorn,  when  we  say  one  thing  with  our  mouth,  and  Go<1  to  scom. 

think  another  thing  with  our  hearts.    Take  this  for  an  ensam- 

ple.    Our  rebels  which  rose  about  two  years  ago  in  Norfolk  The  rebels 

and  Devonshire,  they  considered  not  this  petition :  they  said  it  sort  that 

........  J  •  i        i     •       t  ai     •  laughed  God 

with  their  lips  only,  but  not  with  their  hearts.  Almighty  to  scom. 
God  hath  revealed  Ins  will  as  concerning  magistrates,  how  he 
will  have  them  to  be  honoured  and  obeyed :  they  were 
utterly  bent  against  it.  He  revealed  this  will  in  many  places 
of  the  scripture ;  but  specially  by  St  Peter,  where  he  saith, 
Subditi  estote  omni  humance  creaturce  :  that  is  thus  much  to 
say  in  effect,  "  Be  ye  subject  to  all  the  common  laws  made  by  Rom.  xui. 
men  of  authority;  by  the  king's  majesty,  and  his  most  honour- 
able council,  or  by  a  common  parliament :  be  subject  unto 
them,  obey  them,"  saith  God.    And  here  is  but  one  exception,  There  is  no 

.  obedience 

that  is,  against  God.    When  laws  are  made  against  God  and  against  God. 
his  word,  then  I  ought  more  to  obey  God  than  man.      Then 
I  may  refuse  to  obey  with  a  good  conscience:  yet  for  all  that 
I  may  not  rise  up  against  the  magistrates,  nor  make  any 
uproar ;  for  if  1  do  so,  I  sin  damnably.    I  must  be  content  to 
suffer  whatsoever  God  shall  lay  upon  me,  yet  I  may  not  obey 
their  wicked  laws  to  do  them.    Only  in  such  a  case  men  may 
refuse  to  obey  ;   else  in  all  the  other  matters  we  ought  to  obey. 
What  laws  soever  they  make  as  concerning  outward  things 
we  ought  to  obey,  and  in  no  wise  to  rebel,  although  they  be 
never  so  hard,  noisome  and  hurtful.      Our  duty  is  to  obey, 
and  commit  all  the  matters  unto  God ;  not  doubting  but  that 
God  will  punish  them,  when  they  do  contrary  to  their  office  God  win 
and  calling.     Therefore  tarry  till  God  correct  them  ;   we  may  princes, 
not  take  upon  us  to  reform  them,  for  it  is  no  part  of  our  duty. 
If  the  rebels,  I  say,  had  considered  this,  think  you  they  would 
have  preferred  their  own  will  afore  God's  will  ?     For,  doing 
as  they  did,  they  prayed  against  themselves.      But  I  think  ignorance 
that  ignorance  was  a  great  cause  of  it.      Truly  I  think  if  this  of  rebellion, 
had  been  opened  unto  them,  they  would  never  have  taken 
such  an  enterprise  in  hand. 

24—2 


THE    FOURTH     SERMON 


A  law  for 
apparel. 


A  law  for 

gaming. 


All  subjects 
ought  to  read 
or  hear  their 


stubbornly 
to  do  against 
political 
laws,  is  to  do 
against  God's 
will. 


And  hero  we  have  occasion  to  consider,  how  much  we  be 
bounden  unto  God,  that  he  openeth  unto  us  his  word  so 
plainly,  and  teacheth  us  so  truly  how  we  should  behave  our- 
selves towards  the  magistrates  and  their  laws :  but  for  all  that, 
I  fear  there  be  some  of  us  which  little  regard  their  laws  and 
statutes.  Such  despisers  of  magistrates,  when  they  pray, 
they  pray  against  themselves.  There  be  laws  made  of  diet1, 
how  we  shall  feed  our  bodies,  what  meat  we  shall  eat  at  all 
times  ;  and  this  law  is  made  in  policy,  as  I  suppose,  for  victuals' 
sake,  that  fish  might  be  uttered  as  well  as  other  meat.  Now 
as  long  as  it  goeth  so  in  policy,  we  ought  to  keep  it.  There- 
fore all  except  those  that  be  dispensed  withal,  as  sick,  impotent 
persons,  women  with  child,  or  old  folks,  or  licensed  persons, 
all  the  rest  ought  to  live  in  an  ordinary  obedience  to  those 
laws,  and  not  do  against  the  same  in  any  wise.  There  be 
laws  made  for  apparel2,  how  we  shall  cover  our  nature.  Is 
there  not  many  which  go  otherwise  than  God  and  the  magis- 
trates command  them  to  go?  There  is  made  a  law  for 
gaming3,  how  we  shall  recreate  our  bodies;  for  we  must  have 
some  recreation  because  of  the  weakness  of  our  nature.  In 
that  law  we  be  inhibited  carding,  dicing,  tabling  and  bowling, 
and  such  manner  of  games,  which  are  expressed  in  the  same 
act.  You  may  read  it,  and  you  ought  to  read  it,  and  to 
know  the  acts  :  for  how  can  you  keep  them  when  you  know 
them  not?  Every  faithful  subject  will  not  disdain  to  read 
the  acts,  and  the  king's  majesty's  proceedings,  so  that  he  may 
know  what  is  allowed  or  forbidden  in  the  same  acts.  And 
I  myself  read  the  acts,  for  it  is  meet  so  for  us  to  do.  Now 
again,  this  is  a  great  matter  that  God  is  so  kind  towards  us, 
that  he  disdaineth  not  to  reveal  his  will,  what  order  we  shall 
keep  in  our  diet,  in  our  refreshing  and  garments.  Therefore 
it  is  most  meet  for  us  to  live  in  subjection,  and  not  to  prefer 
our  own  will  before  God's  will.  For  when  I  do  stubbornly 
against  those  acts  set  out  by  our  natural  king,  and  his  most 
honourable  counsellors;  then  I  prefer  my  will  afore  God's  will, 
and  so  sin  damnably.     These  things  ought  well  to  be  noted, 


t1  2  &  3  Edw.  VI.  ch.  19:  5  &  6  Edw.  VI.  ch.  3.] 

[2  Several  laws  were  enacted  respecting  apparel,  more  especially 

during  the  reigns  of  Edw.  III.  and  Hen.  VIII.     See  37  Edw.  III.  cc. 

8—14;  1  Hen.  VIII.  ch.  14;  6  Hen.  VIII.  ch.  1;  24  Hen.  VIII.  ch.  13.] 
P  33  Hen.  VIII.  ch.  9.] 


XX.]  ON    THK     LORD'S    PRAYER.  373 

for  it  is  not  a  trifling  matter ;  there  hangeth  damnation  or 
salvation  upon  it.  Therefore,  as  I  said  before,  it  is  good  to 
know  the  laws,  and  I  call  him  a  good  man,  and  her  a  good 
woman,  that  are  content  to  be  ruled  by  the  laws,  and  so 
declare  their  subjection  and  obedience  unto  God  and  the 
magistrates. 

There  be  some  men  that  say,  "  When  the  king's  majesty 
himself  commandeth  mc  to  do  so,  then  I  will  do  it,  not  afore." 
This  is  a  wicked  saying,  and  damnable :  for  we  may  not  so 
be  excused.      Scripture  is  plain  in  it,  and  sheweth  us  that  we  such  as  ?.re 

i-rv  l-  i         •  p  i        i  •  ™  authority 

ought  to  obey  his  officers,  having  authority  from  the  kmg,  as  under  princes 
well  as  unto  the  kinir  himself.     Therefore  this  excuse  will  ohc,yed  as 

O  well  as 

not,  nor  cannot  serve  afore  God.     Yet  let  the  magistrates  Princes- 
take  heed  to  their  office  and  duties ;  for  the  magistrates  may 
not  do  all  things  according   to  their  pleasures  and  minds. 
They  have  authority  of  God  to  do  well,  and  not  harm ;  to  The  offices  of 

,.„  ,  ,  -it  -iiii-     magistrates. 

edify,  and  not  to  destroy ;  to  punish  the  wicked  and  obsti- 
nate, and  to  comfort  those  which  live  well  and  godly ;  to 
defend  the  same  from  wrong  and  injuries  of  the  wicked.  So 
it  appeareth  that  every  one  in  his  order,  in  his  degree  and 
calling,  ought  to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  not  our  own  will 
and  pleasure.  This  is  our  duty,  happy  are  we  if  we  do  it 
indeed !  0  that  men  in  authority  would  consider  whereunto 
God  hath  ordained  them !  St  Paul  saith  the  magistrate  is 
Ultor  ad  iram,  "  He  is  God's  ordinary  minister,  to  punish  R°m-  x'» 
malefactors  and  ill  doers."  God  saith,  Mihi  vindicta,  ego 
retribuam:  "I  will  avenge  myself,"  saith  God;  and  so  heLetmagis- 
doth  by  his  magistrates :  for  that  is  his  ordinary  way,  this, 
whereby  he  punishes  malefactors.  But  magistrates  must 
take  heed  they  go  no  further  than  God  alloweth  them  to  do. 
If  they  do,  they  themselves  shall  be  punished :  as  there  be 
many  ensamples  in  scripture,  whereby  appeareth,  how  griev- 
ously God  hath  punished  wicked  magistrates. 

Finally4,  St  Peter  giveth  a  rule  not  only  unto  the  magis- 
trates, but  also  unto  the  subjects,  saying,  Haze  est  voluntas  1  ret. ii. 
Dei,  ut  obturetis  os  adversariorum  bene  agendo:  "It  is  the 
will  of  God,"  saith  Peter,  "  that  you  with  your  good,  godly,  The  mouths 
and  honest  conversation  shall  stop  the  mouth  of  your  adver-  j£fa  ££**" 
saries."     What  called  St  Peter  well-doing  ?    Well-doing  is  to  bestopt- 

[4  In  summa,  1562.] 


374  THE    FOURTH    SERMON  [.SERM. 

live  according  to  God's  laws  and  commandments.  God's  com- 
mandment is,  that  we  shall  obey  magistrates :  therefore  those 
which  disobey  and  transgress  the  laws  of  the  magistrates1, 
they  do  not  according  to  God's  will  and  pleasure ;  they  do 
but  mock  God,  they  stop  not  the  mouth  of  the  adversaries, 
as  St  Peter  would  have  them  to  do ;  but  they  give  rather 
occasion  unto  the  wicked  to  slander  and  blaspheme  the  holy 
word  of  God.  St  Peter  would  have  us  to  stop  their  mouth 
wicked  doers  with  well-doings.  Many  men,  when  they  have  been  reproved 
r» •■>< -1'iVs'      of  preachers  because  of  their  wicked  living,  they  have  gone 

mouths.  *  .  11. 

about  to  stop  their  mouth  with  slanderous  words :  this  stop- 
ping is  an  ill  stopping.  St  Peter  would  have  us  to  stop  with 
well-doing.  Now,  will  magistrates  not  be  spoken  ill  of  and 
reproved  of  preachers?     Let  them  do  well.     Likewise  saith 

Rom.  xni.  St  Paul  of  the  subjects,  Vis  non  timere  potestatem?  Benefac 
et  habebis  landem :  "  Wilt  thou  not  fear  the  higher  power  ? 
Do  well,  and  thou  shalt  be  commended."  Now  even  as  it  is 
with  the  temporal  sword,  so  is  it  with  the  spiritual.  There 
be  some  men  which  cannot  away  withal,  if  they  be  rebuked  ; 
they  cannot  bear  when  the  preacher  speaketh  against  their 
wickedness:  unto  them  I  say,  Vis  non  timere  prcedicatorem? 

J;"1;1^1       Benefac :  "  Will  you  not  to  be  rebuked  of  the  preacher  ? 

mui'i'tlr s  Then  do  well."  Leave  off  your  covetousness,  your  ambition, 
your  irefulness,  vengeance,  and  malice,  your  lechery  and 
filthiness,  your  blood-shedding,  and  such  like  sins ;  leave 
them,  amend  your  life,  or  else  the  preacher,  according  to  his 
office,  will  rebuke  and  reprove  you :  be  you  never  so  great 
lords  or  laches,  he  will  rub  you  on  the  gall.  For  a  good 
and  godly  preacher  can  do  no  less,  seeing  God  dishonoured, 
perceiving  him  to  be  blasphemed,  his  will  to  be  neglected, 
and  not  executed  of  them  that  ought  with  all  their  study  and 
endeavour  to  apply  themselves  that  his  will  might  be  done. 
For  he  is  well  worthy  :  he  is  the  Lord ;  he  created  heaven 
and  earth,  and  is  therefore  the  right  natural  Lord  over  it. 
But  for  all  that,  the  devil  is  lord  more  than  he  is :  not  by 
right  or  inheritance,  but  by  conquest,  by  usurpation ;  he  is 
an  usurper.     God,  as  I  said  before,  is  the  natural  and  lawful 

God'siK.!.'5    Lord  over  the  earth,  because  he  made  it :   yet  it  pleased  his 

tenant  ui.on  (|jvme  majesty  to  make  mankind,  as  ye  would  say,  lieutenant 

f1  of  magistrates,  1584.] 


XX.]  ON    THE    LORD*S    PRAYER.  375 

over  it ;  so  that  mankind  should  bear  the  rule  over  the  whole 
earth.  Therefore  God  said  unto  him,  Dominamini,  "  Be 
ruler  over  it:"  Item,  Replete  terram,  et  subjicite  Mam;  also, 
"  Replenish  the  earth,  and  subdue  it."  Here  Adam  and  his 
wife,  and  so  all  his  posterity,  were  by  God  made  rulers  over 
the  earth,  as  God's  high  deputies,  or  his  lieutenants.  So,  as 
concerning  God's  ordinance,  mankind  was  the  lawful  inheritor 
of  this  kingdom.  But  now  cometh  in  the  devil  with  his 
crafty  conveyances,  and  with  his  false  subtiltics.  He  in- 
veigled first  the  woman,  and  afterward  the  man,  persuading 
them  to  transgress  God's  holy  commandments ;  with  which 
so  doing  they  lost  the  favour  of  God  and  their  dignities  : 
and  so  the  devil,  through  his  false  lies,  substituted  himself  The  devil  is 

°  .  an  usurper. 

as  an  usurper  or  conqueror ;  and  so  he  is  a  possessor,  non 
per  fas,  sed  nefas,  not  lawfully,  but  wrongfully.  Though  he 
did  say  to  our  Saviour,  shewing  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world,  Cuicunque  volo  do  ilia,  "  I  may  give  them  to  whom- 
soever I  will,"  he  lieth  falsely.  God  will  destroy  him  at  the  Thedevii 
length,  for  all  his  subtiltics  and  lies  :  they  shall  not  save  him. 
Yet  for  all  that  he  is  a  great  ruler.  For  this  is  most  cer-  The  devii  is  a 
tain  and  true,  a  great  many  more  do  the  will  of  the  devil,  and  hath 

«  .  many  ser- 

than  of  God.  Whatsoever  they  babble  with  their  mouths,  vants. 
look  upon  their  works,  and  you  shall  find  it  so.  For  all 
proud  persons,  all  ambitious  persons,  which  be  ever  climb- 
ing up,  and  yet  never  be  well,  all  such  do  not  the  will  of 
God,  and  therefore  pertain  not  to  his  kingdom.  All  ireful, 
rebellious  persons,  all  quarrellers  and  wranglers,  all  blood-  whoso  re- 
shedders,  do  the  will  of  the  devil,  and  not  God's  will.     God  own  quam-i 

doth  the  will 

saith,  Mihi  vindicta,  ego  retribuam,  "I  will  avenge  myself;"  of  the  devil. 
which  he  doth  through  the  magistrate ;  and  when  the  magis- 
trate is  slack,  he  doth  it  himself.  Now  those  ireful,  malicious 
persons,  that  hate  their  neighbours,  they  do  not  the  will  of 
God,  but  of  the  devil.  Also  these  subtil,  deceitful  persons, 
which  have  no  conscience  to  defraud  and  beguile  their  neigh- 
bours ;  that  care  not  for  breaking  their  promises,  nor  are 
not  ashamed  to  utter  false  ware,  they  pertain  all  to  the  devil. 


restore  thn:j;- 

diabolo  est ;  "  Whosoever  sinneth  is  of  the  devil :"  which  is  ^°t'eif  "v 
[2  those,  1584,] 


376  THE    FOURTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

a  very  hard  word  to  be  spoken  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
a  fearful  word,  able  to  withdraw  us  from  sin,  if  we  had 
any  fear  of  God  in  our  hearts.  Amongst  these1  may  be 
numbered  all  slothful  persons,  which  will  not  travail  for 
their  livings ;  they  do  the  will  of  the  devil.  God  biddeth 
sturdy  beg-    us  to  get  our  living  with  labour ;  they  will  not  labour,  but 

gars  do  serve  i  i  i  •  i  m  t 

the  devii.  go  rather  about  a  begging,  and  spoil  the  very  poor  and 
needy.  Therefore  such  valiant  beggars  are  thieves  before 
God.  Some  of  these  valiant  lubbers,  when  they  came  to  my 
house,   I  communed  with   them,  burthening  them  with   the 

The  beggars   transo-ression  of  God's  laws.     "Is  this  not  a  great  labour," 

say  that  they  ~  ° 

labour.         sav  they,  "to  run  from  one  town  to  another  to  get  our  meat? 
I  think  we  labour  as  hard  as  other  men  do."     In  such  wise 
they  go  about  to  excuse  their  unlawful  beggary  and  thievery. 
But  such  idle  lubbers  are  much  deceived ;  for  they  consider 
not  that   such   labour  is   not   allowed   of  God.      We   must 
labour   so   as    may  stand   with   godliness,   according   to   his 
appointment ;    else  thieves  winch  rob  in  the   night-time,  do 
Tineves  say    they  not   labour  ?   Yea,  sometimes   they  labour  with  great 
labour.         care)  peril,  and  danger  of  their  lives.      Is  it  therefore  godly, 
because  it  is  a  labour  ?    No,  no  :   we  must  labour  as  God 
FdmmnIs'    Ba^n  aPPomted  us,  every  man  in  his  estate.      Further,  these 
persons.        drunkards,  which  abuse  the  gifts  of  God;  also  these  lecherers 
and  whoremongers,  that  live  in  adultery  ;  these  violators  of 
holy  matrimony,  which  live  not  according  unto   God's  law ; 
item,  these  swearers,  forswearers,  liars,  all  those  do  not  the 
semmts!1  fcw  WU^  °f  God.      Therefore  it  is  to  be  lamented  of  every  chris- 
tian heart,  when  they  see  how  many  servants  the  devil  hath, 
and  God  so  few.     But  all  those  which  serve  the  devil  are 
rebels  against  God.     God  was  their  Lord ;  they  swerve  from 
him  through  wicked  living,  and  so  become  servants  of  the 
devil.      Therefore  those  christian  people  that  have  a  desire 
to  live  after  God's  will  and  commandments,  they  live  amongst 
taken 'dfthe  ^ne  kicked  eyen  as  it  were  amongst  the  rebels.      They  that 
rebels.  dwelled  in  Norfolk  or  Devonshire  at  the  time  of  rebellion, 

they  which  were  faithful  to  their  king  and  prince,  how  think 
you  they  were  entreated  ?  Full  miserably,  God  knoweth  : 
either  they  were  constrained  to  help  their  wicked  purposes, 
or  else  they  must  suffer  all  calamities  which  could  be  devised. 

t1  those,  1562.] 


XX.]  ON    THE    LOHD^    PRAYER.  377 

Even  so  shall  all  those  be  entreated,  which  intend  to  live  well, 
according  to  God's  commandments.  For  the  rebels,  that  is, 
the  wicked  which  have  forsaken  their  Lord  God,  and  taken 
the  devil  to  be  ruler  over  them,  they  shall  compel  them  to 
follow,  or  else  to  suffer  all  calamities  and  miseries.  And  so 
shall  be  verified  the  saying  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  Non  veni 
ut  mittam  pacem  sed  qladium :   "  I  am  not  come,  saith  he,  Matt.  x. 

.  r       .  ,      *  .  „        ,irl  .....        .  How  Christ 

to  send  peace,  but  the  sword.        \V  Inch  is  indeed  a  strange  semieth  not 

saying,  but  it   hath  his  understanding  :    God   is   a  God   of a  sword- 

peace  and  concord,  he  loveth  unity  and  concord ;  but  when 

he  cannot  have  peace  by  the  reason  of  the  devil,  then  he 

will  have  the  sword  :    that  is  to  say,  God  loveth  unity,  he 

would  have  us  all  agree  together,  but  because  of  the  wicked 

we  cannot :   therefore  he  will  rather  have  us  to  choose  the 

sword,  that  is,  to  strive  and  withstand  their  wickedness,  than 

to  agree  unto  them.     And  therefore  this  doctrine  is  called 

a  seditious  doctrine  :  but  who  are  those  rebels  ?   Even  they  They  that 

themselves    which   call   this   doctrine    seditious ;    they  them-  gospel  sedi- 

.  .  _.      .  .,„.  !,  tious  are 

selves,    1    say,    are    traitors  against    God.       Wherefore   our  traitors. 
Saviour,  seeing  he  can  have  no  peace  with  the  wicked,  he 
will  have  us  rather  to   withstand  their  wickedness,  and  so  God  win 
bring2  them  to  reformation:  and  this  is  the  cause  wherefore  segregated 

O  ,  ,  from  the 

he  will  have  his  flock  segregated  from  the  wicked.  wicked. 

Therefore  let  us  pray  unto  God  our  heavenly  Father, 
Fiat  voluntas  tua ;  "  Thy  will  be  done."     This  is  the  prayer 
of  all  christian  people,  which  have  a  will  to  do  God's  will  : 
but  those  impenitent  sinners,  which  are  not   yet  weary  of 
their  sins,  do  never  pray ;   for  though  they  say  the  words, 
yet  it   is   to  no  purpose.      They   say  them  without   under- 
standing :    therefore  it  is  but  lip-labour,  it  is  no  prayer,  it 
is  but  the  devil's  service.     For  a  man  may  serve  the  devil  The  devils 
with  saying  the  Pater-noster,  when  he  saith  it  with  a  defiled  wLut  is?3 
mind.      Let  us,  therefore,  order  ourselves  so  that  we  may 
say  it  worthily,  as  it  ought  to  be.     Let   us  lay  away  all 
wickedness   and   ill   living,   so   that   we   may  say  from   the 
bottom  of  our  heart,   "  Our  Father,   which  art   in   heaven,  The  saiIIts 
thy  will  be  done."     And  so  did  Susanna,  that  godly  woman ;  e^mhtgof 
so  did  lady  Judith ;  so  did  queen  Esther ;  so  did  all  good  twspetition. 
saints  of   God :    and  though  this  prayer    was  not  made  at 
that   time,  by  the  reason3   they  were  a  great   while   afore 
[2  to  bring,  1584.]  [3  by  reason,  1584.] 


378 


THE    FOURTH    SKBMON 


The  differ- 
ence between 
the  fathers' 
faith  and 
ours. 


Susanna 
desired  that 
God's  will 
might  be 
done. 


Judith  sci'k- 
eth  to  hallow 
the  name  of 
<Jod  and  to 
do  his  will. 


Peter  forgat 
his  Pater- 
noster. 


Christ's  coming ;  yet  they  had  this  prayer  in  effect.  For 
they  believed  in  almighty  God ;  they  believed  in  Abraham's 
Seed,  -which  was  promised :  which  faith  stood  them  in  as 
good  stead,  and  they  were  as  well  saved  through  that  same 
belief,  as  we  now  through  our  belief.  For  it  is  no  difference 
between  their  belief  and  ours,  but  this :  they  believed  in 
Christ  which  was  to  come,  and  we  believe  in  Christ,  which 
is  come  already.  Now  their  belief  served  them  as  well  as 
ours  doth  us.  For  at  that  time  God  required  no  further 
at  their  hands  than  was  opened  unto  them.  We  have  in 
our  time  a  further  and  more  perfect  knowledge  of  Christ 
than  they  had.  Now  Susanna,  when  the  judges,  the  same 
wicked  men,  came  unto  her,  and  moved  her  with  fearful 
threatenings  to  do  their  wills,  that  is,  to  sin  against  God 
in  doing  that  filthy  act  of  lechery,  (for  the  same  wicked 
judges  bare  a.  wicked  damnable  love  towards  her,)  think 
you  not  she  resorted  unto  God?  Yes,  yes,  without  doubt: 
she  said  these  words  in  effect,  Pater  noster,  fiat  voluntas 
t'ua ;  "  Our  Father,  thy  will  be  done,"  and  not  the  will  of 
the  wicked1  men.  Therefore  she  putting  her  hope  and  trust 
in  God,  having  a  respect  that  his  will  might  be  done,  and 
not  the  devil's  will,  God,  which  is  ever  true,  did  not  fail  her ; 
for  you  know  how  she  was  delivered  through  young  Daniel. 
This  is  written  to  our  instruction  :  for  he  is  now  the  self-same 
God  that  he  was  at  that  time.  He  is  as  mighty  as  he  was ; 
he  is  as  ready  as  he  was.  She  was  in  anguish  and  great 
distress,  she  sought  to  hallow  his  holy  name  ;  therefore  he 
did  help  her,  he  suffered  her  not  to  perish.  So  certainly 
he  will  do  unto  us  too.  Therefore  when  we  be  in  trouble, 
let  us  hallow  his  name,  and  then  we  shall  find  his  help  like 
as  Susan  did.  In  such  wise  did  Judith,  when  she  was  pro- 
voked of  Holofernes  to  do  wickedly.  She  sought  rather  to 
sanctify  God's  name,  to  do  his  will,  than  the  will  of  the 
devil ;  therefore  God  gave  her  such  a  triumphant  victory. 
So  did  queen  Hester,  when  Hammon,  that  wicked  fellow,  had 
power  over  her :  she  committed  all  the  matter  unto  God 
with  fasting  and  prayer.  But  Saint  Peter,  what  did  he  ? 
Marry,  he  forgat  his  Pater-noster ;  for  when  there  came 
but  a  foolish  wench,  asking  him,  "  Art  not  thou  a  Galilean  ? 
Art  not  thou  one  of  this  new  learning  ?  Art  not  thou  a 
[i   of  wicked,  1571.] 


XX.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  379 

gospeller  ?"  what  did  Peter  ?  lie  was  gone  quite :  he  denied 

it:    he  forgat  his   Pater-noster.      For  if  he  had  had  grace 

to  consider  that  he  ought  rather  to  suffer  death,  than  forsake 

his  master   Christ,  then  he  would  have  said,  Pater  noster, 

fiat  voluntas  tua,   "  Our  Father,   thy  will  be  done.      I  am 

ready  to  suffer  for  thy  sake  whatsoever  thou  shalt  lay  upon 

me."      But  he  did  not  so,  he  forgot  himself.      What  did  our 

Saviour  ?    He  turned  back  and  looked  upon  him.      Happy  Christ  looked 

was  Peter  that  our  Saviour  looked  upon  him   again,  for  it 

was  a  gracious  token ! 

Judas,  that  false  man,  that  traitor,  forgat  this  same  peti-  Judas  forgat  * 

°  *■  this  petition. 

tion,  and  remained  so  in  his  error  still  to  the  end.      Surely 
Tie  was  a  sorrowful  and  a  heavy  man.      Insomuch  that  he 
made  restitution,  ho  was  much  better  than  a  great  many  Jlldas  was 
of  us  be,  which,  when  they  have  injured  and  wronged  poor  ^"fthat'1 
men,  will  make  no  restitution.      I  tell  you  truth,  Judas  was  n°* 
much  better  than  such  fellows  be.     Pcenitentia  ductus,  "  Led  The  differ 
to  repentance,"  saith  the  text ;    but  ho  lacked  faith.      And  Peter  and  c 
so  between  Peter  and  him,  Avhich  were  both  two  sorrowful 
men,  this  was  the  difference, — Peter  had  faith,  Judas  lacked 
it :  yet  he  was  exceeding  sorrowful  for  his  wickedness,  inso- 
much that  he  went  and  hanged  himself;  therefore  he  forgat 
this    petition.      So    likewise    all    voluntary  sinners,   all   un- 
repentant sinners,   none   of  them   all  saith   tins   petition   as 
they  ought  to  do  :  they  say  not  worthily  nor  profitably,  for 
they  have  no  will  to  do  his  will;    their  will  is  to  do  their 
own  will  and  pleasure. 

But  above  all  things,  these  quest-mongers2  had  need  to  a  note  for 
take  heed  ;   for  there  all  things  goeth  by  oath.      They  had  geS  mc 
need  to  say,  "  Our  Father,  thy  will  be  done ;"  for  they  shall 
be  moved  to  do  this  and  that,  which  is  against  God.      They 
must  judge  by  their  oath,  according  to  conscience,  "  Guilty," 
or  "  Not  guilty."      When  he  is  guilty,  in  what  case  are  those 
which  say,   "Not  guilty?'1     Scripture   doth  shew   what    a 
thing  it  is,  when  a  man  is  a  malefactor,  and  the  quest-mongers 
justify  him,  and  pronounce  him  not  guilty ;   saying,  Et  qui 
justificat  impium,  et  qui  condemnat  justum,  ambo  abomina- 
biles  coram  Domino  :  "  He  that  justitieth  the  wicked,  and  he  Prov.  xvii. 
that   condemneth   the  just  man,   they   are   both   abominable 
before  the  Lord."      Who  is  abominable  ?    Ho  that  doth  not 
[2  Jurors.] 


380 


HE    FOURTH    SERMON 


[* 


Mark  this 
history. 


A  shameful 
■perjury. 


J oab  looked 
through  his 
fingers. 


Chaplains 
about  the 
king. 


the  will  of  God  :  the  will  of  God  is,  that  the  wicked  should 
be  punished.  I  myself  did  once  know  where  there  was  a 
man  slain  of  another  man  in  anger :  it  was  done  openly,  the 
man-killer  was  taken  and  put  in  prison.  Suit  was  made  to 
the  quest-mongers  :  for  it  was  a  rich  man  that  had  done  the 
act.  At  the  length,  every  man  had  a  crown  for  his  good- 
will :  and  so  this  open  man-killer  was  pronounced  not  guilty. 
Lo,  they  sold  their  souls  unto  the  devil  for  live  shillings,  for 
which  souls  Christ  suffered  death  :  and  I  dare  pronounce, 
except  they  amend  and  be  sorry  for  their  faults,  they  shall 
be  damned  in  hell  world  without  end.  They  had  clean  for- 
gotten this  petition,  "  Thy  will  be  done:"  for  they  did  the 
will  of  the  devil.  It  had  been  a  good  deed  to  cut  off  their 
crowns  by  their  necks,  to  the  ensample  of  all  others.  There- 
fore, I  say,  these  quest-mongers  had  need  to  say,  "  Our 
Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  thy  will  be  done."  For  truly 
it  is  marvel  that  this  realm  sinketh  not  down  to  hell  head- 
long. What  perjuries,  swearing  and  cursing  is  everywhere, 
in  every  corner  !  Therefore,  I  say,  we  had  need  to  pray 
earnestly,  that  God's  will  may  be  done.  And  we  should  be 
content  to  lose  our  lives  for  righteousness'  sake ;  for  he  that 
loseth  his  life,  for  because  he  will  not  agree  to  the  dishonour 
of  God,  he  seeketh  that  God's  will  may  be  done.  Happy 
is  that  man,  for  he  findeth  his  life,  he  loseth  it  not :  for 
Christ  will  be  his  keeper. 

Joab,  that  great  and  valiant  captain,  he  knew  well  enough 
when  David  sent  unto  him  good  Urias  with  letters ;  he  knew, 
I  say,  that  the  king's  will  was  against  God's  will :  yet  he 
looked  through  his  fingers ;  he  winked  at  it ;  he  would 
rather  do  the  wicked  will  of  the  king  than  the  will  of  God. 
Of  such  fellows  there  be  a  great  number,  winch  care1  not  for 
the  honour  and  will  of  God.  These  chaplains  about  the 
king,  and  great  men,  had  need  to  say,  Fiat  voluntas  tua, 
"  Our  Father,  thy  will  be  done."  But  they  are  very  slow 
and  slack ;  they  wink  commonly  at  all  matters,  be  they  never 
so  bad.  They  be  capellani  ad  manus,  chaplains  at  hand. 
They  will  not  arguere  mundum  de  peccato,  "  They  dare  not 
rebuke  the  world  of  sin ;"  they  dare  not  do  as  the  prophet 
commandeth  unto  them  to  do,  when  he  saith,  Audiant  monies 
judicia  Domini,  "  Let  the  hills  hear  the  judgments  of  the 
[i  are,  1584.] 


XX.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  381 

Lord  f  though  they  smoke,  as  he  saith,  tange  monies,  et 
fumigabunt,  "  Touch  the  liills,  and  they  will  smoke."  Yea, 
and  though  they  smoke,  yet  strike  them ;  spare  them  not, 
tell  them  their  faults.  But  great  men  cannot  suffer  that,  to 
be  so  rebuked ;  their  chaplains  must  be  taught  discretion,  if 
they  will  go  so  to  work.  They  say  commonly,  magistrates 
should  be  brought  out  of  estimation,  if  they  should  be  handled 
so.  Sirs,  I  will  tell  you  what  you  shall  do  to  keep  your  a  mean 
estimation  and  credit.     Do  well ;  handle  uprightly  and  indif-  ptrates  may 

'  L      °        «  keep  them- 

ierently  all  matters  ;  defend  the  people  from  oppressions  ;  do  *|-,^on 
your  office  as  God  hath  appointed  you  to  do  :  when  you  do 
so,  I  warrant  you,  you  shall  keep  your  estimation  and  credit. 
And  I  warrant  you  again,  the  preacher  will  not  strike  nor 
cut  you  with  his  sword ;  but  rather  praise  you,  and  commend 
your  well-doings.  Else,  when  you  do  naught,  and  wickedly 
oppress  the  poor,  and  give  false  judgments  ;  when  you  do  The  good 
so,  that  is  no  godly  preacher  that  will  hold  his  peace,  and  not  must  strike 

,     .,  •    i      ,   •  i       i  1  •  -r.  •        •      with  his 

strike  you  with  his  sword  that  you  smoke  agam.      .But  it  is  sword. 
commonly  as  the  scripture  saith,  Laudatur  impius  in  deside- 
riis  animce  suae ;  "  The  wicked  is  praised  in  the  desires  of  his 
wickedness."      Chaplains  will  not  do  their  duties  ;  they  will  chaplains 

r  "  will  not  do 

not  draw  their  swords,  but  rather  flatter ;  they  will  use  dis-  «««:  A^es- 
cretion.      But  what  shall   follow  ?     Marry,  they  shall  have 
God's  curse  upon  their  heads  for  their  labour :  this  shall  be 
all  their  gains  that  they  shall  get  by  their  flatterings.     An- 
other scripture  saith,   Qui  potestatem  exercent,  hi  beneficia  Katterers.caii 
vocantur;  "  The  great  and  mighty  men  be  called  benefactors,  benefactors. 
well-doers:"  but  of  whom  be  they  called  so?     Marry,  of 
flatterers,  oT  those  which  seek  not  to  do  the  will  of  God,  but 
the  pleasures  of  men. 

St  John  Baptist,  that  hardy  knight  and  excellent  preacher  John  Baptist 

1  .  .  .  -.         said  this  peti- 

of  God,  he  said  this  petition  right  with  a  good  faith;   "  Our  twn aright. 
Father,  thy  will  be  done :"  therefore  he  went  to  the  king, 
saying,  Non  licet  tibi ;   "  Sir,  it  is  not  lawful  for  thee  so  to 
do."      See  what  boldness  he  had !    How  hot  a  stomach  in 
God's  quarrel,  to  defend  God's  honour  and  glory !    But  our  chaplains 
chaplains,  what  do  they  now-a-days  ?   Marry,  they  wink  at  it, 
they  will  not  displease :  for  they  seek  livings,  they  seek  bene- 
fices; therefore  they   be  not  worthy  to    be   God's    officers. 
Esay,  that  faithful  minister  of  God,  he  is  a  good  plain  fellow ;  Esayisapiain 
he  telleth  them  the  matter  in  plain,  saying,  Argentum  tuum 


382 


tin:   fourth   sermon 


[SERM. 


Esay  per- 
ceived things 
amiss. 


The  hunger 
that  preach- 
ers slmiiM 
have. 


Christ  had 
money. 


The  cause 
why  Christ 
talked  with 
the  woman 


versum  est  in  scoriam,  prindpes  tui  infideles,  socii  furum  : 
"Thy  silver  is  turned  to  dross,  thy  princes  are  unfaithful,  and 
fellows  of  thieves.'"  He  is  no  flatterer,  he  telleth  them  the 
truth.  "  Thy  princes,"  said  he,  "  are  bribe-takers,  subvertcrs 
of  justice."  This  Isaiah  did,  for  he  had  respect  to  God's 
word :  he  perceived  things  amiss  ;  he  knew  that  it  was  his 
part  to  admonish,  to  cut  them  with  his  sword.  Would  God 
our  preachers  would  be  so  fervent  to  promote  the  honour  and 
glory  of  God,  to  admonish  the  great  and  the  small  to  do  the 
will  of  the  Lord !  I  pray  God  they  may  be  as  fervent  as 
our  Saviour  was,  when  he  said  to  his  disciples,  3Ieus  cibus 
est,  ut  faciam  voluntatem  Patris  mei  qui  est  in  ccelo ;  "  My 
meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  hi  heaven :" 
that  is  to  say,  "  You  are  no  more  desirous  to  eat  your  meat 
when  you  be  a-hungry,  than  I  am  to  do  my  Father's  will 
which  is  in  heaven."  By  what  occasion  our  Saviour  saith 
these  words,  you  shall  perceive,  when  you  consider  the  circum- 
stances. I  pray  you  read  the  chapter ;  it  is  the  fourth  of 
John.  The  story  is  this :  he  sendeth  his  disciples  to  a  town 
to  buy  meat,  (where  it  appeareth  that  our  Saviour  had 
money ;)  after  their  departure  he  setteth  him  down,  which 
was  a  token  he  was  a-weary,  and  I  warrant  you  he  had 
never  a  cushion  to  lay  under  him.  Now  as  he  was  sitting  so, 
there  cometh  a  woman  out  of  the  town  to  fetch  water  ;  he 
desired  her  to  give  him  drink.  She  made  answer,  "  Will 
you  drink  with  me  which  am  a  Samaritan  ?"  So  they  went 
forward  in  their  talk.  At  the  length  he  bade  her  go  call 
her  husband.  She  made  answer,  "  I  have  no  husband." 
"  Thou  sayest  well,"  said  our  Saviour ;  "  for  thou  hast  had 
five,  and  this  that  thou  hast  now  is  not  thy  husband."  And 
so  he  revealed  himself  unto  her.  Some  men,  peradventurc, 
will  say,  "What  mcaneth  this,  that  our  Saviour  talketh  alone 
with  this  woman  ?"  Answer  :  his  humility  and  gentleness  is 
shewed  herein :  for  he  was  content  to  talk  with  her,  being 
alone,  and  to  teach  her  the  way  to  heaven.  Again,  some 
men  may  learn  here,  not  to  be  so  hasty  in  their  judgments, 
that  when  they  see  two  persons  talk  together,  to  suspect 
them;  for  in  so  doing  they  might  suspect  our  Saviour  him- 
self. It  is  not  good,  it  is  against  the  will  of  God  to  judge 
rashly.  I  know  what  I  mean ;  I  know  what  unhappy  tales 
be  abroad ;  but  I  can  do  no  more  but  to  give  you  warning. 


XX.  J  OX    THE    LORD'S     PRAYER.  383 

Now  the  woman  went  her  Avay  into  the  city,  making  much 

ado,   how  she  had  found  the   Messiah,  the  Saviour  of  the 

world ;  insomuch  that  a  great  many  of  the  Samaritans  came 

out  unto  him.      Now  as  the  woman  was  gone,  the  disciples 

desired  him  to  eat ;  he  made  them  answer,  Eyo  alium  cibum 

habeo,  "I  have  other  meat:"  then  they  thought  somebody  Christ* meat 

had  brought  him  some  meat ;   at  the  length  he  breaketh  out  Father's  win. 

and  saith,  Hie  est  cibus  mens  ut  faciam  voluntatem  Patris 

mei  qui  misit  me;  "  I  am  as  desirous  to  do  my  Father's  will. 

as  you  be  of  meat  and  drink."      Let  us  now,  for  God's  sake, 

be  so  desirous  to  do  the  will  of  God,  as  we  be  to  eat  and 

drink.      Let  us   endeavour  ourselves   to  keep  his  laws  and 

commandments :  then  whatsoever  we  shall  desire  of  him,  he 

will  give  it  unto  us,  we  shall  have  it. 

We  read  oftentimes  in  scripture,  that  our  Saviour  was 
preaching  according  unto  his  vocation :  I  would  every  man 
would  2*0  so  dilio-ently  about  his  business.      The  priests  to  so  A  |pss°n  for 

p  °  "  ,  1  °     nriests. 

to  their  books,   not  to  spend   their   times   so  shamefully  in ' 
hawking,  hunting,  and  keeping  of  ale-houses.      If  they  would 
go  to  their  books,  in  so  doing  they  should  do  the  will  of  God : 
but  the  most  part  of  them  do  their  own  will,  they  take  their 
pleasure :  but  God  will  find  them  out  at  length ;  he  will  mete 
with  them  when  he  seeth  his  time.      On  a  time  when  our 
Saviour  was  preaching,  Ins  mother  came  unto  him,  very  de- 
sirous to  speak  with  him,  insomuch  that  she  made  means  to 
speak  with  him,  interrupting  his  sermon,  winch  was  not  good 
manners.     Therefore,  after  St   Augustine   and   St  Chrysos- 
tom's1  mind,  she  was  pricked  a  little  with  vain-glory;  she  The  virgin 
would  have  been  known  to  be  his  mother,  else  she  would  not  htticprivkeii 
have  been  so  hasty  to  speak  with  hini.     And  here  you  may  g'ory- 
perceive  that  we  gave  her  too  much,  tliinking  her  to  be  with- 
out any  sparkle  of  sin ;  which  was  too  much :  for  no  man  born 
into  this  world  is  without  sin,  save  Christ  only.      The  school 

[!  Hierom's,  in  the  old  editions :  but  in  the  "  Sermon  on  the 
Epistle  for  the  23rd  Sunday  after  Trinity,"  it  is  rightly  said,  "  Chrysos- 
tom  and  Augustine."  Augustin.  Epist.  243.  Oper.  Tom.  n.  col.  660. 
Edit.  Bened.  Antverp.  1700.  Hanc  matrem  terrenam  non  habebat 
Imperator  tuus  ?  Quse  tamen  cum  ei  nuntiaretur  agenti  ccelestia,  re- 
spondit,  Quce  mihi  mater,  a/at  quifratres  ?  Chrysost.  Horn.  xlv.  in  Matt, 
xii.  Oper.  Tom.  VII.  p.  467.  Kal  yap  oVrep  iirexi'-PWe  (pi^-oriplas  r\v 
TrepiTTTJs-  eftovXero  yap  ivSeit-aadai  tw  Si/pa),  on  Kpartl  Kal  avQsvTei  tov 
7ratSds.J 


384  THE     FOURTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

doctors1  say  she  was  arrogant.  One  camo  and  told  our  Sa- 
viour, as  he  was  teaching:  "Sir,  thy  mother  is  here,  and  would 
speak  with  thee."  He  made  answer,  like  as  he  did  when  he 
was  but  twelve  years  old,  Oportet  me  esse,  "I  must  be2:"  so 
he  saith  now,  stretching  out  his  hands,  "Who  is  my  mother?" 
Hethatdoeth  Qui  facit  voluntatem  Patris  met  qui  est  in  ccelis,  "  He  that 
is  chrisfs      doth  the  will  of  my  Father  that  is  in  heaven."      Luke  saith, 

mother.  .  .      . 

Qui  audit  verbum  Dei  et  facit  istud,  "  He  that  heareth  the 
word  of  God,  and  doth  it."  Mark  this  well ;  he  saith,  "  and 
doth  it."  Let  us  do  ;  let  us  not  only  be  hearers  but  doers ; 
then  we  shall  be,  according  to  his  promise,  his  brethren  and 
sisters3.  We  must  hear  his  word,  and  do  it :  for  truly,  if 
Mary  his  mother  had  not  heard  his  word  and  believed  it,  she 
should  never  have  been  saved.  For  she  was  not  saved  because 
Mary  was      she  was  liis  natural  mother,  but  because  she  believed  in  him  ; 

saved  because  .........  -n  i 

she  believed   because  she  was  liis  spiritual  mother.      Remember  therefore, 

m  Christ,  * 

that  all  that  do  his  will  are  his  kinsfolk.     But  remember  that 
in  another  place  he  saith,  Non  omnes  qui  dicunt  mihi,  Do- 

Matt.  vii.  mine,  Domine,  introibunt ;  "  Not  all  that  say,  Lord,  Lord, 
shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Here  you  see  that 
the  matter  standeth  not  in  saying,  but  in  doing :  do  liis  will, 
and  then  resort  mito  liim,  and  thou  shall  be  welcome.     We 

Lukexii.  read  in  Luke,  where  our  Saviour  said,  Servus  qui  noscit 
voluntatem  domini,  et  non  facit,  vapulabit  midtis ;  "  That 
servant  that  knoweth  the  will  of  his  master,  and  doth  it  not, 
shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes."      He  that  knoweth  not 

We  must  shall  be  beaten,  but  not  so  much.  We  must  first  know,  and 
then  do  then  do.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  know  ;  but  it  is  a  heinous 
thing  to  know,  and  not  to  do :  it  is  a  great  sin  to  slander 
God's  word  with  wicked  living,  as  it  is  commonly  seen  amongst 
men.  But  this  fault,  if  it  be  not  amended,  shall  have  grievous 
punishment. 

Now,  some  men  will  say,  "  Seeing  it  is  so,  that  those 
which  know  God's  word,  and  do  not  the  same,  shall  be  beaten 
with  many  stripes;  then  I  will  keep  me  from  it,  and  so  when 
I  am  damned  I  shall  have  the  easier  punishment."  No,  no, 
my  friend  :  Ignorantia  non  excusat,  prcesertim  voluntaria  et 

[!  Thomas  Aquinas,  Summa  Theolog.  Par.  hi.  Quest,  xxvii.  Art,4 ; 
Estius,  Commen.  in  Sentent.  Lib.  in.  Distinct.  3,  §  6 ;  where  the  oj>i- 
nions  of  divines,  on  this  subject,  are  recited.] 

[2  "I  must  be,"  not  in  1562.]  [3  his  sistern,  1584.] 


first  ki 


XX.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  385 

affectata;  "Wilful  ignorance  excuseth  not."    To  say,  "I  will  wilful  ig- 
not  hear  it,  for  I  intend  to  do  as  it  shall  please  me;"   this  is  excuseth  not 
not  ignorance,  brother,  but  rather  contumacy,  or  despising  of 
God's  word.      These  which  would  fain  know,  but  cannot,  for 
that  they  have  no  teacher,  they  shall  be  excused  somewhat, 
for  they  shall  have  easier  pain'  than  the  others  have ;  as  he 
saith,  Vce  tibi,  Chorazin,  quia  si  in  Sodoma,  "Wo  unto  thee,  Matt.  a. 
Chorazin,  because  if  in  Sodom,"  &c;  meaning  that  the  Sodom- 
ites shall  have  easier  judgment  than  the  other  :  but  as  for 
those  which  refuse  to  hear  when  they  might  hear,  they  are 
in  an  ill  case,  and  shall  be  punished  with  unspeakable  pains. 
And  I  tell  you,  the  very  ignorant  man  is  not  all  excused;  for  The  very 

^  "       &  ignorant  is 

so  saith  God  by  his  prophets,  Si  non  annunciaveris  ut  con-  n°t  excused. 
vertatur  a  via  sua  mala,  impius  in  iniquitate  sua  morietur ; 
"  The  wicked,"  saith  he,  "  shall  die,  though  he  hath  had  never 
warning  before."  So  we  see  that  ignorance  excuseth  not : 
but  the  ignorant  are  the  less  punished  because  of  their  igno- 
rance ;  as  there  be  degrees  in  hell,  one  shall  be  punished 
more  grievously  than  the  other,  according  to  their  deserts. 
There  be  some  men  in  England  which  say,  "No,"  say  they, 
"  I  will  hear  none  of  them  all,  till  they  agree  amongst  them- 
selves4."     Such  fellows  truly  shall  never  come  to  the  gospel :  Despisers  of 

p  -.  mi     i  •  i  i  -i       -l     •  v  God's  word. 

tor  there  will  be  contentions  as  long  as  the  devil  is  alive. 
He  cannot  suffer  God's  word  to  be  spread  abroad ;  therefore 
he  doth,  and  will  do  till  the  world's  end,  what  he  can  to  let 
the  word  of  God.  Then  it  is  like  that  those  fellows  shall 
never  come  to  hear  God's  word,  and  therefore  worthily  be 
damned  as  despisers  of  God's  most  holy  word. 

Further,  this  petition  hath  an  addition,  Quemadmodum, 
in  cailo ;  "  As  it  is  in  heaven."     The  writers  make  two  man- 
ner of  heavens;   a  spiritual  heaven,  and  a  temporal  heaven5,  two  manner 
The  spiritual  heaven  is  where  God's  will  is  fully  done ;  where  ° 
the  angels  be,  which  do  the  will  and  pleasure  of  God  with- 
out dilation.     Now,  when  we  say,  "As  it  is  in  heaven,"  we  The  meaning 
pray  God  that  we  may  do  his  will  as  perfectly  as  the  angels  tition!  lie~ 
do.     Ensamples  in  scripture  we  have  many,  which  teach  us 
the  diligent  service  which  the  angels  do  unto  the  Lord.   When 
king  David  fell  in  a  presumption,  so  that  he  commanded  his 

[4  This  was  one  of  the  reasons  by  which  Celsus  attempted  to  justify 
his  rejection  of  Christianity.] 

[5  Matt.  Flacius,  Clavis  Sacr.  Scriptur.  in  voce  ccelum.'] 

25 

[latimer.] 


386 


THE    FOURTH    SERMON 


[SERM. 


Joab  did 
naught  in 
obeying  to 
do  that  the 
king  com- 
manded. 


An  example 
to  be  fol- 
lowed of  all 
men. 


An  example 
for  kings  to 
follow. 


Another  e> 
ample  for 
kings  to 
follow. 
2  Kings  xi: 
Jo!)  ix. 


captain  Joab  to  number  his  people,  (which  thing  was  against 
the  Lord,  and  Joab  did  naughtily  in  obeying  the  king  in 
such  things,  but  he  went  and  numbered  eight  hundred  thou- 
sand, and  five  hundred  thousand  men  able  to  light,  beside 
women  and  children,)  for  this  act  God  was  angry  with  David, 
and  sent  his  prophet,  which  told  him  that  God  would  plague 
him ;  and  bade  him  to  choose  whether  he  would  have  seven 
years'  hunger,  or  that  his  enemies  should  prevail  against  him 
three  months  long,  or  to  have  three  days'  pestilence.  He 
made  answer,  saying,  "  It  is  better  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
God,  than  of  men :"  and  so  chose  pestilence.  After  that, 
within  three  days  died  threescore  and  ten  thousand.  This 
story  is  a  great  declaration  how  angry  God  is  with  sin. 
Now  David,  that  good  king,  seeing  the  plague  of  God  over 
the  people,  said  unto  God,  "  Lord,  it  is  not  they  that  have 
sinned,  it  is  I  myself:  punish  me,  and  let  them  alone."  This 
was  a  good  mind  in  David ;  there  be  but  few  kings  now  that 
would  do  so.  Now  at  the  length  God  was  moved  with  pity, 
and  said  unto  the  angel,  Sufficit,  confine  manam;  "It  is 
enough,  leave  off."  By  and  by  the  plague  ceased.  Where 
you  see  how  ready  the  angels  of  God  be  to  do  the  Lord's 
commandment.  After  that  David  was  minded  to  be  thankful 
unto  God,  and  offer  a  great  sacrifice  unto  him,  and  so  remove 
the  wrath  of  God :  and  therefore  he  made  suit  to  one  of  his 
subjects  for  certain  grounds  to  build  an  altar  upon.  The  same 
man  was  willing  to  give  it  unto  the  king  freely ;  but  David 
would  not  take  it  at  his  hands.  Where  kings  may  learn,  that 
it  is  not  lawful  for  them  to  take  away  other  men's  lands  to 
their  own  use.  This  good  king,  David,  would  not  take  it 
when  it  was  offered  unto  him.  He  did  not  as  Achab,  the 
wicked  man,  which  did  Naboth  wrong  in  taking  away  his 
vineyard  against  his  will.  Another  ensample,  wherein  ap- 
pcareth  how  diligently  the  angels  do  God's  commandments. 
Senacherib,  king  of  the  Assyrians,  having  a  captain  called 
Rabsacus ;  which  captain,  after  he  had  besieged  Jerusalem, 
spake  blasphemous  words  against  God  the  Almighty,  saying 
to  the  Jews,  "  Think  you  that  your  God  is  able  to  help  you, 
or  to  defend  you  from  my  hand  ?"  Now  Ezechias,  that  good 
king,  hearing  such  blasphemous  words  to  be  spoken  against 
God,  fell  to  prayer ;  desired  God  for  aid ;  sent  for  the 
prophet  Esay,  and  asked  him  counsel.     The  end  was,  God 


XX.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  387 

sent   his   angels,  which  killed  an   hundred  eighty  and  five 

thousand  of  the  Assyrians  in   one  night :  the  king  himself 

scant  escaped,  and  with  great  danger  and  fear  gat  him  home. 

Here  you  see  what  a  God  our  God  is,  whose  will  we  ought 

to  do.     Therefore  let  us  endeavour  ourselves  to  do  his  will 

and  pleasure ;  and  when  we  are  not  able  to  do  it,  as  we  be 

not  indeed,  let  us  call  unto  him  for  help  and  aid. 

The  other  heaven  is  called  a  corporal  heaven,  where  the  The  eorporai 

■i'ii  ii  heaven  doth 

sun  and  the  moon  and  the  stars  are ;   winch  heaven  doth  Gods  com- 
mandment. 

God's  commandment  too.  As  it  appeareth  in  the  books  of 
Joshua,  and  the  Kings,  how  the  sun  stood  at  the  command- 
ment of  God :  also,  how  the  shadow  went  backward ;  like  as 
Job  sauh,  Prcecepisti  soli,  et  non  oritur,  "  Thou  gavest  com-  Job  ix. 
mandment  to  the  sun,  and  it  arose  not."  Therefore  at  the 
commandment  of  God  they  kept  their  ordinary  course,  as 
God  hath  commanded  them  in  the  first  beginning.  Also1 
the  rain  and  the  snow  come  at  his  commandment.  Finally2, 
nothing;  rebelleth  in  his  estate  wherein  it  was  set  at  the  first,  Nothing  dis- 

°  .  .  ,  obeyeth  God 

but  man.    The  man  will  not  be  ruled  by  him,  all  other  things  savine  on]y 

J_  o     man. 

be  obedient :  rain  cometh  when  God  will  have  it,  and  snow 

at  his  time.    We  read  in  Achab's  time,  that  Elias  the  prophet 

stopt  the  rain  for  three  years  and  sixth  months,  for  to  punish 

the  people  ;  whereof  followed  a  great  dearth.     Afterward,  at 

the  request  of  the  same  Elias,  God  sent  rain,  which  tempered 

the  ground  to  bring  fruits.      I  think  there  be  some  Elias 

abroad  at  this  time,  which  stoppeth  the  rain,  we  have  not 

had  rain  a  good  while.     Therefore  let  us  pray  to  God  that  if  we  do 

ii-       mi  ii  God's  wil1  we 

we  may  do  his  will,  and  then  we  shall  have  all  things  neces-  shaii  have 

J-  '  o  all  things 

sary  to  soul  and  body.     For  what  was  this  Elias  ?    Obnoxius  "ecessary- 
affections,  "  A  sinful  man,  born  and  conceived  in  sin :"  yet  Jamesv. 
God,  seeing  his  confidence,  granted  his  requests.     For  he  was 
a  man  that  feared  the  Lord,  and  trusted  in  him ;  therefore 
God  loved  him,  and  heard  his  prayer.     Therefore,  I  say,  let 
us  do  as  he  did;  then  God  will  hear  our  prayers.     But  we 
are  fleshly,  we  are  carnal,  we  can  do  nothing  perfectly,  as  we 
ought  to  do :  wherefore  we  have  need  to  say  with  St  Augus- 
tine3, Domine,  fac  quce  prcecipis,  etprcecipe  quod  vis;  "Lord,  ^Thathe 
do  thou  with  me  what  thou  commandest,  and  then  command  u°™0nrda0ndeth 

[i  Item,  1562.]  [2  In  summa,  1562.] 

[3  Da  quod  jubes,  et  jube  quod  vis.    Confess.  Lib.  x.  c.  40.  Oper. 
Tom.  r.  col.  139,  Edit.  Bened.  Antwerp.  1700.] 

25—2 


388  THE    FOURTH    SERMON    &C.  [sERM. 

what  thou  wilt."  For  wc  of  our  own  strength  and  power 
are  not  able  to  do  his  commandments ;  but  that  lack  our 
Saviour  will  supply  with  his  fulfilling,  and  with  his  perfect- 
ness  he  will  take  away  our  imperfectness. 

Now  since  we  have  spoken  much  of  prayer,  I  will  desire 

you  let  us  pray   together,  and  so  make  an  end  :   but  you 

God  heareth  must  prav  with  a  penitent  heart ;  for  God  will  not  hear  the 

not  impeni-  i  i      1       c  •  •  i  1 

tent  sinners,  prayer  that  proceecieth  irom  an  impenitent  heart ;  it  is  abo- 
minable in  his  sight.  I  desire  you  to  say  after  me,  "  Our 
Father,"  &c.      Amen. 


THE   FIFTH   SERMON  UPON  THE  LORDS   PRAYER. 


[MATTHEW  VI.  11.] 

Partem  nostrum  qiiotidianum  da  nobis  hodie. 

Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread. 

This  is  a  very  good  prayer,  if  a  body  should  say  no  ™ftf™"f 
more  at  one  time,  but  that ;  for  as  we  see  our  need,  so  we  f^f1" 
shall  pray.     When  we  see  God's  name  to  be  dishonoured,  prayfo^hLe 
blasphemed  and  ill  spoken  of,   then  a  man,  a  faithful  man,  iackmg.hat  be 
should  say,  "  Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be 
thy  name."     When  we  see  the  devil  reign,  and  all  the  world 
follow  his  kingdom,  then  we  may  say,  "  Our  Father,  which 
art  in  heaven,  thy  kingdom  come."     When  we  see  that,  the 
world  followeth  her  own  desires  and  lusts,  and  not  God's  will 
and  his  commandments,  and  it  grieveth  us  to  see  this,  we  be 
sorry  for  it;  we  shall  make  our  moan  unto  God  for  it,  saying, 
"  Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  Fiat  voluntas  tua,  Thy 
will  be  done."    When  we  lack  necessaries  for  the  maintenance 
of  this  life,  every  thing  is  dear,  then  we  may  say,   "  Our 
Father,   which   art  in  heaven,   give  us  this  day  our   daily 
bread."     Therefore  as  we   see   cause,   so  we   should  pray. 
And   it  is  better   to   say  one  of  these   short   prayers   with A  short 

"  .  .  prayer  with 

a  good  faith,  than  the  whole  psalter  without  faith.  [jl™ lhctllei 

By  this  now  that  I  have  said,  you  may  perceive  that  the  w&Sf^a- 
common  opinion  and  estimation  which  the  people  have  had  of  faith.1 
this  prayer  (the  Lord's  prayer,  I  say)  is  far  from  that  that  it 
is  indeed.  For  it  was  esteemed  for  nothing :  for  when  we  be 
disposed  to  despise  a  man,  and  call  him  an  ignorant  fool,  we 
say,  "He  cannot  say  his  Pater-noster ;"  and  so  we  made  it 
a  lia'ht  matter,  as  though  every  man  knew  it.     But  I  tell  This  prayer 

fe  '  &       .  "        .  .  .  is  not  so  light 

you,  it  is  a  great  matter ;  it  containeth  weighty  things,  if  it  ft™^^ 
be  weighed  to  the  very  bottom,  as  a  learned  man  could  do. 
But  as  for  me,  that  that  I  have  learned  out  of  the  holy  scrip- 
ture and  learned  men's  books,  which  expound  the  same, 
I  will  shew  unto  you :  but  I  intend  to  be  short.  I  have 
been  very  long  before  in  the  other  petitions,  which  something 


390  THE    FIFTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

expound  those  that  follow  :  therefore  I  will  not  tarry  so  long 

in  them  as  I  have  done  in  the  other. 

"  Give  us  tins  day  our  daily  bread."     Every  word  is  to 

be  considered,  for  they  have  their  importance.  This  word 
Bread  doth  "bread"  signifieth  all  manner  of  sustenance  for  the  preserva- 
in.mmr'of     tion  of   this  life ;   all  things  Avhereby  man   should  live   are 

sustenance.  .....  ,        -  .  „        _.  .  . 

contained  in  this  word  "  bread.  You  must  remember  what 
I  said  by  that  petition,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name."  There  we 
pray  unto  God  that  he  will  give  us  grace  to  live  so  that 
we  may,  with  all  our  conversations  and  doings,  hallow  and 
sanctify  him,  according  as  his  word  telleth  us.  Now  foras- 
much as  the  preaching  of  God's  word  is  most  necessary  to 
bring  us  into  this  hallowing,  we  pray  in  the  same  petition  for 


the  office  of  preaching.      For  the  sanctifying    of  the 


name 


By  preaching  of  God  cannot  be,  except  the  office  of  preaching  be  maintained, 
.sanctified.6  "  and  his  word  be  preached  and  known :  therefore  in  the  same 
petition,  when  I  say,  Sanctificetur,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name," 
I  pray  that  his  word  may  be  spread   abroad  and  known, 
The  meaning  through  which  cometh  sanctifying.      So  likewise  in  this  peti- 
tion.'1'1" '    tion,  "Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,"  we  pray  for  all 
those  things  which  be  necessary  and  requisite  to  the  suste- 
nance of  our  souls  and  bodies.      Now  the  first  and  principal 
thing  that  we  have  need  of  in  this  life  is  the  magistrates: 
without  a  magistrate  we  should  never  live  well  and  quietly. 
Then  it  is  necessary  and  most   needful  to   pray  unto   God 
for  them,  that  the  people  may  have  rest,  and  apply  their 
business,  every  man  in  his  calling ;  the  husbandman  in  tilling1 
and  ploughing,  the  artificer  in  his  business.      For  you  must 
ever  consider,  that  where  war  is,  there  be  all  ^commodities; 
no  man  can  do  his  duty  according  unto  his  calling,  as  appear- 
eth  now  in  Germany,  the  Emperor2  and  the  French  king3 
being  at  controversy.     I  warrant  you,  there  is  little  rest  or 
quietness.     Therefore  in  this  petition  we  pray  unto  God  for 
our  magistrates,  that  they  may  rule  and  govern  this  realm 
well  and  godly  ;  and  keep  us  from  invasions  of  alienates  and 
strangers;  and  to  execute  justice,  and  punish  malefactors:  and 
this  is  so  requisite,  that  we  cannot  live  without  it.     Therefore 
inthispeti-   when  we  say,  "Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread;"  we  pray 
f'!r"tiKlk|n|f  for  the  kmg,  his  counsellors,  and  all  his  officers.      But  not 
'officers.  1S     every  man  that  saith  these  words  understandeth  so  much ; 
[i  his  tilling,  1584.]  [2  Charles  V.]  [3  Henry  II.] 


XXI.  J  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  o91 

for  it  is  obscurely  included,  so  that  none  perceive  it  but  those 
which  earnestly  and  diligently  consider  the  same.  But  St 
Paul  he  expresseth  it  with  more  words  plainly,  saying,  "  I 
exhort  you  to  make  supplications  and  prayers  for  all  men,  i  Tim.  a. 
but  specially  pro  regions  et  qui  in  sublimitate  constituti 
sunt,  for  the  kings,  and  for  those  which  be  aloft."  Whereto? 
Ut  placidam  et  quietam  vitam  agamus,  "  That  we  may  live 
godly  and  quietly,  in  all  honesty  and  godliness."  And  when 
I  pray  for  them,  I  pray  for  myself:  for  I  pray  for  them 
that  they  may  rule  so,  that  I  and  all  men  may  live  quietly 
and  at  rest.  And  to  this  end  we  desire  a  quiet  life,  that 
we  may  the  better  serve  God,  hear  his  word,  and  live  after 
it.  For  in  the  rebels"'  time,  I  pray  you,  what  godliness  was 
shewed  amongst  them  ?  They  went  so  far,  as  it  was  told, 
that  they  defiled  other  men's  wives  :  what  godliness  was  this  ? 
In  what  estate,  think  you,  were  those  faithful  subjects  which 
at  the  same  time  were  amongst  them  ?  They  had  sorrow 
enough,  I  warrant  you.  So  it  appeareth,  that  where  war  is,  Rebels  are 
there  is  right  godliness  banished  and  gone.  Therefore  to  good  men. 
pray  for  a  quiet  life,  that  is  as  much  as  to  pray  for  a  godly 
life,  that  we  may  serve  God  in  our  calling,  and  get  our  livings 
uprightly.  So  it  appeareth,  that  praying  for  magistrates  is 
as  much  as  to  pray  for  ourselves. 

They  that  be  children,  and  live  under  the  rule  of  their 
parents,  or  have  tutors,  they  pray  in  this  petition  for  their 
parents  and  tutors ;  for  they  be  necessary  for  their  bringing 
up  :  and  God  will  accept  them  prayer,  as  well  as  theirs  which 
be  of  ao-e.     For  God  hath  no  respect  of  persons ;  he  is  as  God  is  no 

°  r  *  respecter 

ready  to  hear  the  youngest  as  the  oldest :  therefore  let  them  of  person*. 
be  brought  up  in  godliness,  let  them  know  God.    Let  parents 
and  tutors  do  them  duties  to  bring  them  up  so,  that  as  soon  The  educa- 
as  their  age  serveth,  they  may  taste  and  savour  God  ;  let  chiuueir. 
them  fear  God  in  the  beginning,  and  so  they  shall  do  also 
when  they  be  old.     Because  I  speak  here  of  orphans,  I  shall 
exhort   you  to  be  pitiful  unto  them ;  for  it  is  a  thing  that 
pleaseth  God,  as  St  James  witnesseth,  saying,  Religio  pura,  James  \. 
&c,  "  Pure  religion." 

It  is   a  common  speech  amongst  the  people,  and  much  The  true  rec- 
used, that  they  say,  "All  religious  houses  are  pulled  down:"  Irenotpuiied 
which  is  a  very  peevish  saying,  and  not  true,  for  they  are 
not  pulled  down.      That  man  and  that  woman  that  live  toge- 


392  THE    FIFTH    SERMON  [ 

ther  godly  and  quietly,  doing  the  works  of  their  vocation, 
and  fear  God,  hear  his  word  and  keep  it ;  that  same  is  a 
religious  house,  that  is,  that  house  that  pleaseth  God.     For 

True  religion,  religion,  pure  religion,  I  say,  standeth  not  in  wearing  of  a 
monk's  cowl,  but  in  righteousness,  justice,  and  well-doing,  and, 
as  St  James  saith,  in  visiting  the  orphans,  and  widows  that 
lack  their  husbands,  orphans  that  lack  their  parents ;  to  help 
them  when  they  be  poor,  to  speak  for  them  when  they  be 
oppressed:  herein  standeth  true  religion,  God's  religion,  I  say: 
the  other  which  was  used  was  an  unreligious  life,  yea,  rather 
an  hypocrisy.     There  is  a  text  in  scripture,  I  never  read  it 

Prov.  xiv.  but  I  remember  these  religious  houses  :  Estque  recta  Jwmini 
via,  cujus  tamen  postremum  iter  est  ad  mortem ;  "  There 
is  a  way,  which  way  seemeth  to  men  to  be  good,  whose  end 
is  eternal  perdition."  When  the  end  is  naught,  all  is  naught. 
So  were  these  monks'  houses,  these  religious  houses.      There 

The  fondness  were  many  people,  specially  widows,  which  would  give  over 

city  of  such    house-keeping,  and  go  to  such  houses,  when  they  might  have 

people  as  did  .  .  r 

imn.'.'shi      done  much  good  in  maintaining  of  servants,  and  relieving  of 

abbeys.  p00r  pe0pje.  but  they  went  their  ways.  What  a  madness 
was  that !  Again,  how  much  cause  we  have  to  thank  God, 
that  we  know  what  is  true  religion  ;  that  God  hath  revealed 
unto  us  the  deceitfulness  of  those  monks,  which  had  a  goodly 
shew  before  the  world  of  great  holiness,  but  they  were  naught 

Lukexvi.  within.  Therefore  scripture  saith,  Quod  excelsum  est  homi- 
nibus,  abominabile  est  coram  Deo ;  "That  which  is  highly 
esteemed  before  men  is  abominable  before  God."     Therefore 

it  is  better  to  that  man  and  woman  that  live  in  the  fear  of  God  are  much 

fraVofGod    better  than  their  houses  were. 

than  to  be  a  />it  i      /  •  n 

monk-  I  read  once  a  story  ot  a  holy  man1,  (some  say  it  was  St 

Anthony,)  which  had  been  a  long  season  in  the  wilderness, 
neither  eating  nor  drinking  any  thing  but  bread  and  water : 
at  the  length  he  thought  himself  so  holy,  that  there  should 
be  nobody  like  unto  him.  Therefore  he  desired  of  God  to 
know  who  should  be  his  fellow  in  heaven.      God  made  him 

The  true       answer,  and  commanded  him  to  go  to  Alexandria;  there  he 

labourer  is  ° 

theMinLwinth  should  nnd  a  cobler  which  should  be  his  fellow  in  heaven. 

heaven.  ~§ow  he  went  thither  and  sought  him  out,  and  fell  in  acquaint- 
ance with  him,  and  tarried  with  him  three  or  four  days  to  see 
his  conversation.  In  the  morning  his  wife  and  he  prayed 
t1  Vitse  Patrum,  pp.  519,  671.     Antverp.  1615.] 


XXI.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  393 

together ;  then  they  went  to  their  business,  he  in  his  shop,  The.cobier's 
and  she  about  her  housewifery.  At  dinner  time  they  had 
bread  and  cheese,  wherewith  they  were  well  content,  and 
took  it  thankfully.  Their  children  were  well  taught  to  fear 
God,  and  to  say  their  Pater-noster,  and  the  Creed,  and  the 
Ten  Commandments ;  and  so  he  spent  his  time  in  doing  his 
duty  truly.  I  warrant  you,  he  did  not  so  many  false  stitches 
as  coblers  do  now-a-days.  St  Anthony  perceiving  that,  came 
to  knowledge  of  himself,  and  laid  away  all  pride  and  pre- 
sumption. By  tliis  ensample  you  may  learn,  that  honest 
conversation  and  godly  living  is  much  regarded  before  God ; 
insomuch  that  this    poor    cobler,  doing  his  duty  diligently, 

was  made  St  Anthony's  fellow.      So  it  appeareth  that  we  be  imereiigious 
•  i •  •  i  1  •  i  it-    houses> what 

not  destituted  of  religious  houses :  those  which  apply  their  they  be. 

business  uprightly  and  hear  God's  word,  they  shall  be  St  An- 
thony's fellows ;  that  is  to  say,  they  shall  be  numbered 
amongst  the  children  of  God. 

Further,  in  this  petition  the  man  and  wife  pray  one  for  Man  and 
x  i  w'^e  pray 

the  other.      For  one  is  a  help  unto  the  other,  and  so  neces-  °ne  for 

■l  another. 

sary  the  one  to  the  other :  therefore  they  pray  one  for  the 
other,  that  God  will  spare  them  their  lives,  to  live  together 
quietly  and  godly,  according  to  his  ordinance  and  institution ; 
and  this  is  good  and  needful.  As  for  such  as  be  not  married, 
you  shall  know  that  I  do  not  so  much  praise  marriage,  that 
I  should  think  that  single  life  is  naught ;  as  I  have  heard 
some  which  will  scant  allow  single  life.  They  think  in  their  some  aiiow 
hearts  that  all  those  which  be  not  married  be  naught :  there-  life- 
fore  they  have  a  common  saying  amongst  them,  "What!" 
say  they,  "they  be  made  of  such  metal  as  we  be  made  of;" 
thinking  them  to  be  naught  in  their  living ;  which  suspicions 
are  damnable  afore  God:  for  we  know  not  what  gifts  God 
hath  given  unto  them;  therefore  we  cannot  with  good  con- 
science condemn  them  or  judge  them.  Truth  it  is,  "  marriage 
is  good  and  honourable  amongst  all  men,"  as  St  Paul  witness- 
eth  ;  Et  adulteros  et  fornicator 'es  judicabit  Dominus,  "And 
the  Lord  shall  and  will  judge,"  that  is,  condemn,  "adulterers  Godwin 

.  ...  .        judge 

and  whoremongers ; "  but  not  those  which  live  in  single  life,  adulterers 

,    °      .  ,  °  and  whore- 

Wlieil  thou  livest  in  lechery,  or  art  a  whore,  or  whoremonger,  keepers. 

then  thou  shalt  be  damned :  but  when  thou  livest  godly  and 

honestly  in  single  life,  it  is  well  and  allowable  afore  God;  singlelifeis 

yea,  and  better  than  marriage  :  for  St  Paul  saith,  Volo  vos  ISjT1 


394  THE    FIFTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

absque  solicitudine  esse,  "  I  will  have  you  to  be  without 
carefulness,"  that  is,  unmarried;  and  sheweth  the  commodities, 
saying,  "  they  that  be  unmarried  set  their  minds  upon  God, 
how  to  please  him,  and  to  live  after  his  commandments.  But 
as  for  the  other,  the  man  is  careful  how  to  please  his  wife ; 
and  again,  the  woman  how  to  please  her  husband."  And  this 
is  St  Paul's  saying  of  the  one  as  well  as  of  the  other.  There- 
fore I  will  wish  you  not  to  condemn  single  life,  but  take  one 
with  the  other ;  like  as  St  Paul  teacheth  us,  not  so  extol  the 
st  Paul  doth  one,  that  we  should  condemn  the  other.  For  St  Paul  praiseth 
htvabnve8 e  as  well  single  life,  as  marriage ;  yea,  and  more  too.  For 
those  that  be  single  have  more  liberties  to  pray  and  to  serve 
God  than  the  other :  for  they  that  be  married  have  much 
trouble  and  afflictions  in  their  bodies.  This  I  speak,  because 
I  hear  that  some  there  be  which  condemn  single  life.  I  would 
have  them  to  know  that  matrimony  is  good,  godly,  and  allow- 
able unto  all  men  :  yet  for  all  that,  the  single  life  ought  not 
to  be  despised  or  condemned,  seeing  that  scripture  alloweth 
it ;  yea,  and  he  amrmeth  that  it  is  better  than  matrimony, 
if  it  be  clean  without  sin  and  offence. 
we  pray  for  Further,  we  pray  here  in  this  petition  for  good  servants, 

trusty  and  .  . 

true  servants,  that  God  will  send  luito  us  good,  faithful,  and  trusty  servants; 
for  they  are  necessary  for  this  bodily  life,  that  our  business 
may  be  done :  and  those  which  live  in  single  life  have  more 
need  of  good  trusty  servants  than  those  which  are  married. 
Those  which  are  married  can  better  oversee  their  servants. 
For  when  the  man  is  from  home,  at  the  least  the  wife  over- 

servants       seeth  them,  and  keepeth  them  in  good  order.    For  I  tell  you, 

must  he  .  .     ' ,  .  „      .  , 

overseen.  servants  roust  be  overseen  and  looked  to :  it  they  be  not 
overseen,  what  be  they  ?  It  is  a  great  gift  of  God  to  have 
a  good  servant :  for  the  most  part  of  servants  are  but  eye- 
servants  ;  when  their  master  is  gone,  they  leave  off  from  their 
labour,  and  play  the  sluggards :  but  such  servants  do  contrary 
to  God's  commandment,  and  shall  be  damned  in  hell  for  their 
slothfulness,  except  they  repent.  Therefore,  I  say,  those  that 
be  unmarried  have  more  need  of  good  servants  than  those 
which  be  married;  for  one  of  them  at  the  least  may  always 
oversee  the  family.  For,  as  I  told  you  before,  the  most  part 
of  servants  be  eye-servants ;  they  be  nothing  when  they  be 
not  overseen. 

There  was  once  a  fellow  asked  a  philosopher  a  question, 


XXI.]  ON    THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  395 

saying,  Quomodo  saginatur  equus  ?  "  How  is  a  horse  made 
fat  ?"  The  philosopher  made  answer,  saying,  Oculo  domini, 
"  With  his  master's  eye."    Not  meanino-  that  the  horse  should  The  master's 

"  °  eye  maketh 

be  fed  with  Ins  master's  eye,  but  that  the  master  should  over-  the  horse  fat. 
see  the  horse,  and  take  heed  to  the  horse-keeper,  that  the 
horse  might  be  well  fed.  For  when  a  man  rideth  by  the  way, 
and  cometh  to  his  inn,  and  giveth  unto  the  hostler  his  horse 
to  walk,  and  so  he  himself  sitteth  at  the  table  and  maketh 
good  cheer,  and  forgetteth  his  horse ;  the  hostler  cometh  and 
saith,  "  Sir,  how  much  bread  shall  I  give  unto  your  horse  ?" 
He  saith,  "  Give  him  two-penny  worth."  I  warrant  you,  tins 
horse  shall  never  be  fat.  Therefore  a  man  should  not  say  to 
the  hostler,  "  Go,  give  him ;"  but  he  should  see  himself  that 
the  horse  have  it.  In  like  manner,  those  that  have  servants 
must  not  only  command  them  what  they  shall  do,  but  they 
must  see  that  it  be  done :  they  must  be  present,  or  else  it 
shall  never  be  done.  One  other  man  asked  that  same  philo- 
sopher this  question,  saying,  "What  dung  is  it  that  maketh 
a  man's  land  most  fruitful  in  bringing  forth  much  corn  ?" 
"Marry,"  said  he,  Vestigia  domini,  "The  owner's  footsteps."  The  footsteps 

•  11  it!  in  of  the  owner 

JNot  meaning  that  the  master  should  come  and  walk  up  and  do  <Jil»e the 
down,  and  tread  the  ground ;  but  he  would  have  him  to  come 
and  oversee  the  servants  tilling  of  the  ground,  commanding 
them  to  do  it  diligently,  and  so  to  look  himself  upon  their 
work :  this  shall  be  the  best  dung,  saith  the  philosopher. 
Therefore  never  trust  servants,  except  you  may  be  assured  of 
their  diligence;  for  I  tell  you  truly,  I  can  come  no  where  but 
I  hear  masters  complaining  of  their  servants.  I  think  verily, 
they  fear  not  God,  they  consider  not  their  duties.  Well,  I 
will  burthen  them  with  this  one  text  of  scripture,  and  then  go 
forward  in  my  matters.  The  prophet  Jeremy  saith,  Male-  3&.  xivm. 
dictus  qui  facet  opus  Domini  negligenter.  Another  transla- 
tion hath  fraudulenter,  but  it  is  one  in  effect:  "Cursed  be  he  Negligent 
that  doth  the  work  of  the  Lord  negligently  or  fraudulently,"  cursed  of 
take  which  you  will.  It  is  no  light  matter,  that  God  pro- 
nounceth  them  to  be  cursed.  But  what  is  "cursed?"  What  is 
it?  "Cursed"  is  as  much  to  say  as,  "It  shall  not  go  well  with 
them;  they  shall  have  no  luck;  my  face  shall  be  against  them." 
Is  not  tins  a  great  tiling?  Truly,  consider  it  as  you  list1,  but 
it  is  no  light  matter  to  be  cursed  of  God,  which  ruleth  heaven 
t1  lust,  1584.] 


S9G 


THE    FIFTH    SEKMON 


[SERM. 


Col.  iii.  24. 
Servants 
serve  the 
Lord  Christ. 


Jacob  was  a 

painful 

servant. 


Eleazer 

Abraham's 

servant. 


Potiphar 
was  lieu- 
tenant of  the 
Tower  in 
Egypt. 


Daniel  served 
king  Darius. 


and  earth.  And  though  the  prophet  spcaketh  these  words 
of  warriors  going  to  war,  yet  it  may  be  spoken  of  all  servants, 
yea,  of  all  estates,  but  specially  of  servants ;  for  St  Paul  saith, 
Domino  Christo  servitis:  "You  servants,"  saith  he,  "you  serve 
the  Lord  Christ,  it  is  his  work."  Then,  when  it  is  the  Lord's 
work,  take  heed  how  you  do  it ;  for  cursed  is  he  that  doth  it 
negligently.  But  where  is  such  a  servant  as  Jacob  was  to 
Laban  ?  How  painful  was  he !  How  careful  for  his  master's 
profit !  Insomuch  that  when  somewhat  perished,  he  restored 
it  again  of  his  own.  And  where  is  such  a  servant  as  Eleazer 
was  to  Abraham  his  master?  What  a  journey  had  he  !  How 
careful  he  was,  and  when  he  came  to  his  journey's  end,  he 
would  neither  eat  nor  drink  afore  he  had  done  his  master's 
message ;  so  that  all  his  mind  was  given  only  to  serve  his 
master,  and  to  do  according  to  his  commandments :  insomuch 
that  he  would  neither  eat  nor  drink  till  he  had  done  according 
to  his  master's  will !  Much  like  to  our  Saviour's  saying, 
Gibus  mens  est  ut  faciam  voluntatem  ejus,  qui  misit  me ; 
"  This  is  my  meat,  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me."  I 
pray  you  servants,  mark  this  Eleazer  well ;  consider  all  the 
circumstances  of  his  diligent  and  faithful  service,  and  follow 
it :  else  if  you  follow  it  not,  you  read  it  to  your  own  con- 
demnation. Likewise  consider  the  true  service  which  Joseph, 
that  young  man1,  did  unto  his  master  Potiphar,  lieutenant  of 
the  Tower ;  how  faithfully  he  served,  without  any  guile  or 
fraud :  therefore  God  promoted  him  so,  that  he  was  made 
afterwards  the  ruler  over  all  Egypt.  Likewise  consider  how 
faithful  Daniel  was  in  serving  king  Darius.  Alack,  that  you 
servants  be  stubborn-hearted a,  and  will  not  consider  this!  You 
will  not  remember  that  your  service  is  the  work  of  the  Lord ; 
you  will  not  consider  that  the  curse  of  God  hangeth  upon 
your  heads  for  your  slothfulness  and  negligence.  Take  heed, 
therefore,  and  look  to  your  duties. 

Now,  further :  whosoever  prayeth  this  prayer  with  a 
good  faithful  heart,  as  he  ought  to  do,  he  prayeth  for  all 
ploughmen  and  husbandmen,  that  God  will  prosper  and 
increase  their  labour ;  for  except  he  give  the  increase,  all 
their  labour  and  travail  is  lost.  Therefore  it  is  needful  to 
pray  for  them,  that  God  may  send  his  benediction  by  their 

\}  godly  young  man,  1562.] 
[-  so  stubborn-hearted,  1562.] 


XXI.]  ON     THE    LORD*^    PRAYER.  897 

labour ;  for  without  corn  and  such  manner  of  sustenance  we 
cannot  live.  And  in  that  prayer  we  include  all  artificers ;  This  petition 
for  by3  their  labours  God  giveth  us  many  commodities  which  many.1" 
we  could  not  lack.  We  pray  also  for  wholesome  air.  Item, 
we  pray  for  seasonable  weather.  When  we  have  too  much 
rain,  we  pray  for  fair  weather :  again,  when  we  lack  rain, 
we  pray  that  God  will  send  rain.  And  in  that  prayer  we 
pray  for  our  cattle,  that  God  will  preserve  them  to  our  use 
from  all  diseases :  for  without  cattle  we  cannot  live ;  we 
cannot  till  the  ground,  nor  have  meat :  therefore  we  include 
them  in  our  prayer  too. 

So  you  see  that  this  prayer  containeth  innumerable  things. 
For  we  pray  for  all  such  things  as  be  expedient  and  needful 
for  the  preservation  of  this  life.  And  not  alone  this,  but  we 
have  here  good  doctrine  and  admonitions  besides.  For  here 
we  be   admonished  of  the  liberality  of  God   our   heavenly  This  petition 

"  .        "    doth  put  us 

Father,  which  he  sheweth  daily  over  us.      For  our  Saviour,  £  mind  of 

'  J  '  God  s  liber- 

knowing  the  liberality  of  God  our  heavenly  Father,  com-  a,ity- 
mandeth4  us  to  pray.  If  he  would  not  give  us  the  things 
we  ask,  Christ  would  not  have  commanded  us  to  pray.  If 
he  had  borne  an  ill  will  against  us,  Christ  would  not  have 
sent  us  to  him.  But  our  Saviour,  knowing  his  liberal  heart 
towards  us,  commandeth4  us  to  pray,  and  desire  all  things 
at  his  hands. 

And  here  we  be  admonished  of  our  estate  and  condition,  Here  we 
what  we  be,  namely,  beggars.     For  we  ask  bread  :  of  whom  ?  we  are  beg- 
Marry,    of  God.       What   are   we  then  ?    Marry,  beggars : 
the  greatest  lords  and  ladies  in  England  are    but  beggars 
afore  God.      Seeing  then  that  we  all  are  but  beggars,  why 
should  we  then  disdain  and  despise  poor  men  ?    Let  us  there- 
fore consider  that  we  be  but  beggars ;  let  us  pull  down  our 
stomachs.      For  if  we  consider  the  matter  well,  we  are  like 
as  they  be  afore  God :  for  St  Paul  saith,  Quid  habes  quod 
non  accepisti  ?  "  What  hast  thou  that  thou  hast  not  received  i  cor.  iv. 
of  God?"  Thou  art  but  a  beggar,  whatsoever  thou  art:  and  The  rich  man 

is  a  beg2<ir 

though  there  be  some  very  rich,  and  have  great  abundance,  before  God. 
of  whom  have  they  it  ?  Of  God.  What  saith  he,  that  rich 
man?  He  saith,  "Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  give  us 
this  day  our  daily  bread :"  then  he  is  a  beggar  afore  God 
as  well  as  the  poorest  man.  Further,  how  continueth  the 
[3  through,  1562;]  [*  commanded,  1584.] 


Prov. 

God's  bless- 


398  THE    FIFTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

rich  man  in  his  riches  ?  Who  made  him  rich  ?  Marry,  God. 
For  it  is  written,  Benedictio  Deifacit  divitem ;  "  The  bless- 
maketh  mg  0f  Q0fi  maketh  rich."  Except  God  bless,  it  standeth  to 
no  effect :  for  it  is  written,  Comedent  et  non  saturabuntur ; 
"  They  shall  eat,  but  yet  never  be  satisfied."  Eat  as  much 
as  you  will,  except  God  feed  you,  you  shall  never  be  full. 
So  likewise,  as  rich  as  a  man  is,  yet  he  cannot  augment  his 
riches,  nor  keep  that  he  hath,  except  God  be  with  him, 
except  he  bless  him.  Therefore  let  us  not  be  proud,  for  we 
be  beggars  the  best  of  us. 

Note  here,  that  our  Saviour  biddeth  us  to  say,  "  us." 
This  "  us"  lappeth  in  all  other  men  with  my  prayer ;  for 
every  one  of  us  prayeth  for  another.  When  I  say,  "  Give 
us  this  day  our  daily  bread,"  I  pray  not  for  myself  only, 
if  I  ask  as  he  biddeth  me ;  but  I  pray  for  all  others.  Where- 
fore say  I  not,  "  Our  Father,  give  me  this  day  my  daily 
bread?"  For  because  God  is  not  my  God  alone,  he  is  a 
common  God.  And  here  we  be  admonished  to  be  friendly, 
loving,  and  charitable  one  to  another :  for  what  God  giveth, 
I  cannot  say,  "  This  is  my  own ;"  but  I  must  say,  "  This  is 
For  the  rich  man  cannot  say,  "  This  is  mine  alone, 
God  hath  given  it  unto  me  for  my  own  use."  Nor  yet  hath 
the  poor  man  any  title  unto  it,  to  take  it  away  from  him. 
No,  the  poor  man  may  not  do  so ;  for  when  he  doth  so,  he 
is  a  thief  afore  God  and  man.  But  yet  the  poor  man  hath 
title  to  the  rich  man's  goods ;  so  that  the  rich  man  ought  to 
let  the  poor  man  have  part  of  his  riches  to  help  and  to 
comfort  him  withal.  Therefore  when  God  sendeth  unto  me 
much,  it  is  not  mine,  but  ours ;  it  is  not  given  unto  me  alone, 
but  I  must  help  my  poor  neighbours  withal. 

But  here  I  must  ask  you  rich  men  a  question.  How 
chanceth  it  you  have  your  riches?  "  We  have  them  of  God," 
roor men's  you  will  say.  But  by  what  means  have  you  them?  "By 
prayer,"  you  will  say.  "  We  pray  for  them  unto  God,  and 
he  giveth  us  the  same."  Very  well.  But  I  pray  you  tell 
me,  what  do  other  men  which  are  not  rich  ?  Pray  they  not 
as  well  as  you  do?  "Yes,"  you  must  say;  for  you  cannot 
deny  it.  Then  it  appeareth  that  you  have  your  riches  not 
through  your  own  prayers  only,  but  other  men  help  you  to 
pray  for  them :  for  they  say  as  well,  "  Our  Father,  give 
us  this  day  our  daily  bread,"  as  you  do ;  and  peradventure 


prayers  help 
rich  men  to 
goods. 


XXI.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  399 

they  be  better  than  you  be,  and  God  heareth  their  prayer 
sooner  than  yours.  And  so  it  appeareth  most  manifestly, 
that  you  obtain  your  riches  of  God,  not  only  through  your 
own  prayer,  but  through  other  men's  too :  other  men  help 
you  to  get  them  at  God's  hand.  Then  it  followeth,  that 
seeing  you  get  not  your  riches  alone  through  your  own 
prayer,  but  through  the  poor  man's  prayer,  it  is  meet  that 
the  poor  man  should  have  part  of  them ;  and  you  ought  to 
relieve  his  necessity  and  poverty.  But  what  meaneth  God 
by  this  inequality,  that  he  giveth  to  some  an  hundred  pound ; 
unto  this  man  five  thousand  pound ;  unto  this  man  in  a 
manner  nothing  at  all  ?  What  meaneth  he  by  this  inequality  ? 
Here  he  meaneth,  that  the  rich  ought  to  distribute  his  riches 
abroad  amongst  the  poor:    for  the  rich  man  is  but    God's  The  rich 

°  r  .  man  is  God's 

officer,  God's  treasurer :  he  ought  to  distribute  them  accord-  treasurer. 
ing  unto  his  Lord  God's  commandment.     If  every  man  were 
rich,   then    no    man   would  do    any   thing :    therefore   God 
maketh  some  rich  and  some  poor.      Again ;    that  the  rich  God  sendeth 
may  have  where  to  exercise   his  charity,   God   made   some  the  rich. 
rich  and  some  poor :   the  poor  he  sendeth  unto  the  rich  to 
desire  of  him  in  God's  name  help  and  aid.      Therefore,  you 
rich  men,  when  there  cometh  a  poor  man  unto  you,  desiring 
your  help,  think   none  otherwise  but  that1   God  hath  sent 
him  unto   you ;  and  remember  that  thy  riches  be  not  thy 
own,  but  thou  art  but  a  steward  over  them.      If  thou  wilt 
not  do  it,  then  cometh  in  St  John,  which  saith:  "He  that  uohn  m. 
hath  the  substance  of  this  world,  and  seeth  his  brother  lack, 
and  helpeth   him   not,  how  remaineth  the   love  of  God  in 
him?"    He  speaketh  not  of  them  that  have  it  not,  but  of 
them  that  have  it :   that  same  man  loveth  not  God,  if  he 
help  not  his  neighbour,  having  wherewith  to  do  it.      This  is 
a  sore  and  hard  word.     There   be  many  which  say  with  Many  say 
their  mouth,  they  love  God :  and  if  a  man  should  ask  here  God.  °ve 
this  multitude,  whether  they  love  God  or  no;  they  would  say, 
"  Yes,  God  forbid  else !"  But  if  you  consider  their  unmerci- 
fulness  unto  the  poor,  you  shall  see,  as  St  John  said,  "  the 
love  of  God  is  not  within  them."     Therefore,  you  rich  men, 
ever    consider   of   whom   you  have    your   riches :    be   it   a 
thousand  pound,  yet  you  fetch  it  out  of  this  petition.      For  This  petition 
this  petition,  "Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,1"'  is  God's  hou°e.sstore' 
[!  but  God,  1562.] 


400  THE     FIFTH     SERMON  [.SERM. 

store-house,  God's  treasure-house :  here  lieth  all  his  provi- 
sion, and  here  you  fetch  it.  But  ever  have  in  remembrance 
that  this  is  a  common  prayer  :  a  poor  man  prayeth  as  well 
as  thou,  and  pcradventure  God  sendeth  this  riches  unto  thee 
for  another  man's  prayers'  sake,  which  prayeth  for  thee, 
whose  prayer  is  more  effectual  than  thine  own.  And  there- 
fore you  ought  to  be  thankful  unto  other  men,  which  pray 
for  you  unto  God,  and  help  you  to  obtain  your  riches. 
<'y      Again,  this  petition  is  a  remedy  against  this  wicked  care- 

fuhliss care"  fumess  °f  men>  when  they  seek  how  to  live,  and  how  to  get 
their  livings,  in  such  wise,  like  as  if  there  were  no  God  at 
all.  And  then  there  be  some  which  will  not  labour  as  God 
hath  appointed  unto  them ;  but  rather  give  them  to  false- 
hood ;  to  sell  false  ware,  and  deceive  their  neighbours ;  or 
to  steal  other  men's  sheep  or  conies :  those  fellows  are  far 
wide.  Let  them  come  to  God's  treasure-house,  that  is  to 
say,  let  them  come  to  God  and  call  upon  him  with  a  good 
faith,  saying,  "  Our  Father,  give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread ;"  truly  God  will  hear  them.  For  this  is  the  only 
remedy  that  we  have  here  on  earth,  to  come  to  his  treasure- 
house,  and  fetch  there  such  things  as  we  lack.      Consider 

eth'to  feed'3"  ^s  word  "  daily."      God  promiseth  us  to  feed  us  daily.      If 

us  daily.  ye  believe  tins,  why  use  you  then  falsehood  and  deceit? 
Therefore,  good  people,  leave  your  falsehood;  get  you  rather 
to  this  treasure-house ;  then  you  may  be  sure  of  a  living  : 
for  God  hath  determined  that  all  that  come  unto  him, 
desiring  his  help,  they  shall  be  holpen ;  God  will  not  forget 
them.  But  our  unbelief  is  so  great,  we  will  not  come  unto 
him  :  we  will  rather  go  about  to  get  our  living  with  falsehood, 
than  desire  the  same  of  him. 

0  what  falsehood  is  used  in  England,  yea,  in  the  whole 
world!  It  were  no1  marvel  if  the  fire  from  heaven  fell 
upon  us,  like  as  it  did  upon  the  Sodomites,  only  for  our  false- 

a false prac-  hood's  sake!     I  will  tell  you  of  a  false  practice  that  was 

tioe  much  x 

theClmen°of  Practised2  in  my  country  where  I  dwell.  But  I  will  not  tell 
the  country.  ^  y0U  ^0  teach  you  to  do  the  same,  but  rather  to  abhor  it : 
for  those  which  use  such  deceitfulness  shall  be  damned  world 
without  end,  except  they  repent.  I  have  known  some  that 
had  a  barren  cow :  they  would  fain  have  had  a  great  deal  of 
money  for  her ;  therefore  they  go  and  take  a  calf  of  another 
t1  not,  1562.]  [2  of  some  which  are  practised,  1562.] 


XXI.]  OX    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  401 

cow,  and  put  it  to  this  barren  cow,  and  so  come  to  the 
market,  pretending  that  this  cow  hath  brought  that  calf;  and 
so  they  sell  their  barren  cow  six  or  eight  shillings  dearer 
than  they  should  have  done  else.  The  man  which  bought 
the  cow  cometh  home  :  peradventure  he  hath  a  many  of  child- 
ren, and  hath  no  more  cattle  but  this  cow,  and  thinketh  he 
shall  have  some  milk  for  his  children ;  but  when  all  things 
cometh  to  pass,  this  is  a  barren  cow,  and  so  this  poor  man  is 
deceived.  The  other  fellow,  which  sold  the  cow,  thinketh 
himself  a  jolly  fellow  and  a  wise  merchant ;  and  he  is  called 
one  that  can  make  shift  for  himself.  But  I  tell  thee,  whoso- 
ever thou  art,  do  so  if  thou  lust,  thou  shalt  do  it  of  this 
price, — thou  shalt  £>'o  to  the  devil,  and  there  be  hano-ed  on  the  The  reward 

A  o  o  of  witty 

fiery  gallows  world  without  end :  and  thou  art  as  very  a  thief  «nrhi%s  is 

t/     o  t/  damnation 

as  when  thou  takest  a  man's  purse  from  him  going  by  the  replnt.they 
way,  and  thou  sinnest  as  well  against  tins  commandment, 
Non  fades  furtum,  "  Thou  shalt  do  no  theft."  But  these 
fellows  commonly,  which  use  such  deceitfulness  and  guiles,  can 
speak  so  finely,  that  a  man  would  think  butter  should  scant 
melt  in  their  mouths. 

I  tell  you  one  other  falsehood.    I  know  that  some  husband-  Another 

...  p  country 

men  go  to  the  market  with  a  quarter  of  corn :  now  they  deceit, 
would  fain  sell  dear  the  worst  as  well  as  the  best ;  therefore 
they  use  this  policy :  they  go  and  put  a  strike3  of  fine  malt 
or  corn  in  the  bottom  of  the  sack,  then  they  put  two  strikes 
of  the  worst  they 4  had ;  then  a  good  strike  aloft  in  the  sack's 
mouth,  and  so  they  come  to  the  market.  Now  there  cometh 
a  buyer,  asking,  "  Sir,  is  this  good  malt?"  "  I  warrant  you," 
saith  he,  "  there  is  no  better  in  this  town."  And  so  he  sell- 
eth  all  his5  malt  or  corn  for  the  best,  when  there  be  but 
two  strikes  of  the  best  hi  his  sack.  The  man  that  buyeth  it 
thinketh  he  hath  good  malt,  he  cometh  home :  when  he  put- 
teth  the  malt  out  of  the  sack,  the  strike  which  was  in  the 
bottom  covereth  the  ill  malt  which  was  in  the  midst ;  and 
so  the  good  man  shall  never  perceive  the  fraud,  till  he  cometh 
to  the  occupying  of  the  corn.  The  other  man  that  sold  it 
taketh  this  for  a  policy  :  but  it  is  theft  afore  God,  and  he 
is  bound  to  make  restitution  of  so  much  as  those  two  strikes 
which  were  naught  were  sold  too  dear ;  so  much  he  ought  to 

P  a  bushel.]  p  that  they,  1562.] 

[s  the,  1584.] 

20 
[latimer.] 


402  THE    FIFTH     SERMON  [SERM. 

restore,  or  else  he  shall  never  come  to  heaven,  if  God  be  true 
in  his  word. 

I  could  tell  you  of  one  other  falsehood,  how  they  make 

wool  to  weigh  much :  hut  I  will  not  tell  it  you.      If  you  learn 

to  do  those  falsehoods  whereof  I  have  told  you  now,  then 

The  gains      take  the  sauce  with  it,  namely,  that  you  shall  never  see  the 

that  they  d  d 

shaii  have      D]iss  0f  heaven,  but  be  damned  world  without  end,  with  the 

that  sell  evil 

for  good.  devil  and  all  his  angels.  Now  go1  when  it  please  you,  use 
falsehood.  But  I  pray  you,  wherefore  will  you  deceive  your 
neighbour,  whom  you  ought  to  love  as  well  as  your  own 
self?  Consider  the  matter,  good  people,  what  a  dangerous 
thing  it  is  to  fall  into2  the  hands  of  the  ever-living3  God. 
Leave  falsehood :  abhor  it.  Be  true  and  faithful  in  your  call- 
ing.    Qucerite  regnum  Dei,  et  justitiam  ejus,  et  cetera  omnia 

Matt.  v..  adjicientur  vobis  :  "  Seek  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  right- 
eousness thereof,  then  all  things  necessary  for  you  shall  come 
unto  you  unlooked  for." 

Therefore  in  this   petition,    note    first    God's    goodness, 
how  gentle  he  is  towards  us ;  insomuch  that  he  would  have 

God  would    us  to  come  unto  him  and  take  of  him  all  tilings.    Then  again, 

to  hunVor'aii  note  what  we  be,  namely,  beo-o-ars,  for  we  beo*  of  him ;  which 

things.  "  &°  ° 

admonisheth  us  to  leave  stoutness  and  proudness,  and  to  be 
humble.  Note  what  is,  "  our  ;"  namely,  that  one  prayeth  for 
another,  and  that  this  storehouse  is  common  unto  all  men. 
Note  again,  what  we  be  when  we  be  false ; — the  children  of 
the  devil,  and  enemies  unto  God. 
The  mind  of  There  be  some  men  which  would  have  this  petition  not  to 

some  learned  / 

tTiisVetition  import  or  contain  these  bodily  tilings,  as  things  which  be 
too  vile  to  be  desired  at  God's  hand ;  therefore  they  expound 
it  altogether  spiritually,  of  things  pertaining  unto  the  soul 
only  :  which  opinion,  truly,  I  do  not  greatly  like.  For  shall  I 
trust  God  for  my  soul,  and  shall  I  not  trust  him  for  my 
body?  Therefore  I  take  it,  that  all  things  necessary  to  soul 
and  body  are  contained  in  this  petition  :  and  we  ought  to  seek 
all  things  necessary  to  our  bodily  food  only  in  this  storehouse. 
But  you  must  not  take  my  sayings  after  such  sort,  as 
though  you  should  do  nothing  but  sit  and  pray;  and  yet  you 
should  have  your  dinner  and  supper  made  ready  for  you. 
No,  not  so  :  but  you  must  labour,  you  must  do  the  work  of 
your  vocation.  Qucerite  regnum  Dei,  "  Seek  the  kingdom  of 
P  go  to,  1562.]  [2  in,  1562.]  [3  everlasting,  1584.] 


XXI.]  OX    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  403 

heaven  :"  you  must  set  those  two  things  together,  works  and 
prayer.  He  that  is  true  in  his  vocation,  doing4  according  as  The  way  to 
God  willeth  him  to  do,  and  then  prayeth5  unto  God,  that  livi"g- 
man  or  woman  may  be  assured  of  their  living ;  as  sure,  I 
say,  as  God  is  God.  As  for  the  wicked,  indeed  God  of  his 
exceeding  mercy  and  liberality  findeth  them ;  and  sometimes 
they  fare  better  than  the  good  man  doth:  but  for  all  that  the 
wicked  man  hath  ever  an  ill  conscience ;  he  doth  wrong  unto 
God ;  he  is  an  usurper,  he  hath  no  right  unto  it.  The  good 
and  godly  man  he  hath  right  unto  it ;  for  he  cometh  by  it 
lawfully,  by  his  prayer  and  travail.     But  these  covetous  men,  The  covetous 

d         d  r      •>  man  doth  but 

think  ye,  say  they  this  prayer  with  a  faithful  heart,  "  Our  w^£5od 
Father,  which  art  in  heaven ;  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  Prayeth- 
bread  ?"  Think  ye  they  say  it  from  the  bottom  of  their 
hearts  ?  No,  no  ;  they  do  but  mock  God,  they  laugh  him  to 
scorn,  when  they  say  these  words.  For  they  have  their 
bread,  their  silver  and  gold  in  their  coffers6,  in  their  chests, 
in  their  bags  or  budgets ;  therefore  they  have  no  savour  of 
God :  else  they  would  shew  themselves  liberal  unto  their  poor 
neighbours  ;  they  would  open  them  chests  and  bags,  and  lay 
out  and  help  their  brethren  in  Christ.  They  be  as  yet  but 
scorners :  they  say  this  prayer  like  as  the  Turk  might  say  it. 
Consider  this  word,  "  Give."  Certainly,  we  must  labour, 
yet  we  must  not  so  magnify  our  labour  as  though  we  gat 
our  living  by  it.  For  labour  as  long  as  thou  wilt,  thou  shalt 
have  no  profit  by  it,  except  the  Lord  increase  thy  labour. 
Therefore  we  must  thank  him  for  it;  he  doth  it;  he  giveth  it. 
To  whom  ?  Labor anti  et  poscenti,  "  Unto  him  that  labour- 
eth  and  prayeth."  That  man  that  is  so  disposed  shall  not 
lack,  as  he  saith,  Dabit  Spiritum  Sanctum  poscentibus  il- 
ium ;  "  He  will  give  the  Holy  Ghost  unto  them  that  desire  the 
same."  Then,  we  must  ask ;  for  he  giveth  not  to  sluggards. 
Indeed,  they  have  his  benefits ;  they  live  wealthily :  but,  as  I 
told  you  afore,  they  have  it  with  an  ill  conscience,  not  law- 
fully. Therefore  Christ  saith,  Solem  suum  oriri  sinit  super 
justos  et  injustos ;  "He  suffers  his  sun  to  rise  upon  the  just  Matt. v. 
and  unjust."  Also,  Nemo  scit  an  odio  vel  amove  sit  dignus ; 
"  We  cannot  tell  outwardly  by  these  worldly  things,  which  be  outward 

•       «  "  O   '  things  shew 

in  the  favour  of  God,  and  which  be  not;"  for  they  be  com-  f°\^ are 
mon  unto  good  and  bad :  but  the  wicked  have  it  not  with  favour- 
[4  doth,  1562.]     [5  pray  they,  1562.]     [6  gold  in  their  chests,  1584.] 

26—2 


404  THE    FIFTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

a  good  conscience ;  the  upright,  good  man  hath  his  living 
through  his  labour  and  faithful  prayer.  Beware  that  you 
trust  not  in  your  labour,  as  though  ye  got  your  living  by  it : 
for,  as  St  Paul  saith,  Qui  plantat  nihil  est,  neqne  qui  rigat, 

icor.iii.  sed  qui  dat  incrementum  Dens;  "Neither  he  that  planteth  is 
aught,  nor  he  that  watcreth,  but  God  that  giveth  the  in- 
crease."   Except  God  give  the  increase,  all  our  labour  is  lost. 

what  they  be  They  that  be  the  children  of  this  world,  as  covetous  persons, 

that  come  «  #  A 

"toi-ehouse's  extortioners,  oppressors,  caterpillars,  usurers,  think  you  they 
come  to  God's  storehouse  ?  No,  no,  they  do  not ;  they  have 
not  the  understanding  of  it ;  they  cannot  tell  what  it  meaneth. 
For  they  look  not  to  get  their  livings  at  God's  storehouse, 
but  rather  they  think  to  get  it  with  deceit  and  falsehood, 
with  oppression,  and  wrong  doings.  For  they  think  that  all 
things  be  lawful  unto  them;  therefore  they  think1  that  though 
they  take  other  men's  goods  through  subtilty  and  crafts,  it  is 
no  sin.  But  I  tell  you,  those  things  which  we  buy,  or  get 
with  our  labour,  or  are  given  us  by  inheritance,  or  other- 
ways,  those  things  be  ours  by  the  law ;  which  maketh  meum 
and  tuum,  mine  and  thine.  Now  all  things  gotten  otherwise 
are  not  ours ;  as  those  things  which  be  gotten  by  crafty  con- 
veyances, by  guile  and  fraud,  by  robbery  and  stealing,  by 
extortion  and  oppression,  by  hand-making,  or  howsoever  you 

cod  hateth     come  by  it  beside  the  right  way,  it  is  not  yours ;  insomuch 

gottengoods.  that  you  may  not  give  it  for  God's  sake,  for  God  hateth  it. 
But  you  will  say,  "What  shall  we  do  with  the  good 
gotten  by  unlawful  means  ? "  Marry,  I  tell  thee  :  make 
restitution ;  which  is  the  only  way  that  pleaseth  God.  O 
Lord,  what  bribery,  falsehood,  deceiving,  false  getting  of 
goods  is  in  England !  And  yet  for  all  that,  we  hear  nothing 
of  restitution ;  which  is  a  miserable  thing.  I  tell  you,  none 
of  them  which  have  taken  their  neighbour's  goods  from  him 
by  any  manner  of  falsehood,  none  of  them,  I  say,  shall  be 

Restitution    saved,  except  they  make  restitution,  either  in  affect  or  effect ; 

hi  effect  or  j.  «/ 

affect.  in  effect,  when  they  be  able;  in  affect,  when  they  be  not 
able  in  no  wise.    Ezekiel  saith,  Si  impius  egerit  poenitentiam, 

Ezek. xviii.  et  rapinam  reddklerit;  "When  the  ungodly  doth  repent,  and 
restoreth  the  goods  gotten  wrongfully  and  unlawfully."  For 
unlawful  goods  ought  to  be  restored  again :  without  restitu- 
tion look  not  for  salvation.  Also,  this  is  a  true  sentence 
[i  therefore  think,  1584.] 


for  all  bribers 
to  follow. 


XXI.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  405 

used  of  St  Augustine2,  Non  remittetur  peccatum,  nisi  resti- 
tuatur ablation;  "Robbery,  falsehood,  or  otherwise  ill-gotten 
goods,  cannot  be  forgiven  of  God,  except  it  be  restored  again." 
Zacheus,  that  good  publican,  that  common  officer,  he  gave  a 
good  ensample  unto  all  bribers  and  extortioners.      I  would  zacheus  is 
they  all  would  follow  his  ensample !     He  exercised  not  open  '-- 
robbery  ;  he  killed  no  man  by  the  way  ;  but  with  crafts  and 
subtilties  he  deceived  the  poor.    When  the  poor  men  came 
to  him,  he  bade  them  to  come  again  another  day ;  and  so 
delayed  the  time,  till  at  the  length  he  wearied  poor  men, 
and  so  gat  somewhat  of  them.      Such  fellows  are  now,  in 
our  time,   very  good   cheap ;    but  they  will  not  learn  the 
second  lesson.     They  have  read  the  first  lesson,  how  Zachee 
was  a  bribe-taker ;  but  they  will  not  read  the  second :  they  Bribers  win 
say  A,  but  they  will  not  say  B.     What  is  the  second  lesson  ?  second  ies- 
Si  quern  defraudavi,  reddam  quadruplum  ;  "  If  I  have  de-  Luke  xix. 
ceived  any  man,  I  will  restore  it  fourfold."     But  Ave  may 
argue  that  they  be  not  such  fellows  as  Zacheus  was,  for  we 
hear  nothing  of  restitution ;  they  lack  right  repentance. 

It  is  a  wonderful  thing  to  see,  that  christian  people  will 
live  in  such  an  estate,  wherein  they  know  themselves  to  be 
damned :  for  when  they  go  to  bed,  they  go  in  the  name  of  the  z^y* ° to 
devil.      Finally3,  whatsoever  they  do,  they  do  it  in  Ins  name,  devii-sname. 
because  they  be  out  of  the  favour  of  God.     God  loveth4  them 
not ;  therefore,    I  say,   it  is  to  be  lamented  that  we  hear 
nothing  of  restitution.     St  Paul  saith,  Qui  furdbatur  non  am- 
plius  furetur ;  "He  that  stale,  let  him  steal  no  more.1''    Which  EPhes.  iv. 
words  teach  us,  that  he  which  hath  stolen  or  deceived,  and 
keepeth  it,  he  is  a  strong  thief  so  long  till  he  restore  again 
the  thing  taken ;  and  shall  look  for  no  remission  of  his  sins 
at  God's  hand,  till  he  hath  restored  again  such  goods.    There 
be  some  which  say,  "  Repentance  or  contrition  will  serve ;  it  is  not 
it  is  enough  when  I  am  sorry  for  it."     Those  fellows  cannot  be  sorry, 
tell  what  repentance  meaneth.      Look  upon  Zacheus :   he  did 
repent,  but  restitution  by  and  by  followed.      So  let  us  do 
too  :  let  us   live  uprightly  and  godly ;  and  when  we   have 
done  amiss,  or  deceived  any  body,  let  us  make  restitution. 
And  after,  beware  of  such  sins,  of  such  deceitfulness ;  but 
rather  let  us  call  upon  God,  and  resort  to  his  storehouse, 

[2  Opera,  Tom.  n.  col.  403,  Edit.  Bened.  Antverp.  1700.] 
[3  In  summa,  1562.]  [4  alloweth,  1584.] 


406  THE    FIFTH    SERMON  [sEKM. 

Abusesof  and  labour  faithfully  and  truly  for  our  livings.  Whosoever 
is  so  disposed,  him  God  will  favour,  and  he  shall  lack  nothing : 
as  for  the  other  impenitent '  sluggards,  they  be  devourers  and 
usurpers  of  God's  gifts,  and  therefore  shall  be  punished,  world 
without  end,  in  everlasting  fire. 

Remember  this  word  "  our  :"  what  it  meaneth  I  told  you. 
And  here  I  have  occasion  to  speak  of  the  proprieties  of  things: 
for  I  fear,  if  I  should  leave  it  so,  some  of  you  would  report 
me  wrongfully,  and  affirm,  that  all  things  should  be  common. 

There  is        I  say  not   so.      Certain  it  is,  that  God  hath  ordained  pro- 

in  'tilings.  prieties  of  things,  so  that  that  which  is  mine  is  not  thine ; 
and  what  thou  hast  I  cannot  take  from  thee.  If  all  things 
were  common,  there  could  be  no  theft,  and  so  this  command- 
ment, Non  fades  furtum,  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal,"  were  in 
vain.     But  it  is  not  so :  the  laws  of  the  realm  make  meum 

He  that  hath  et  tuum,  niine  and  thine.      If  I  have  things  bv  those  laws, 

things  by  the  '  O  d 

eount°ryhnath  tnel1   ^   naVe    tnem    We^         ^llt    tn^S    J0U    mUSt    n0t   f°rget,    that 

them  weii.  g^  pauj  saith,  Sitis  necessitatibus  sanctorum  communicantes ; 
"  Relieve  the  necessity  of  those  which  have  need."  Things 
are  not  so  common,  that  another  man  may  take  my  goods 
from  me,  for  this  is  theft ;  but  they  are  so  common,  that  we 
ought  to  distribute  them  unto  the  poor,  to  help  them,  and  to 
comfort  them  with  it.  We  ought  one  to  help  another ;  for 
this  is  a  standing  sentence  :  Qui  habuerit  substantiam  hujus 
mundi,  et  viderit  fratrem  suum  necessitatem  habere,  et  clau- 
serit  viscera  sua  ab  eo,  quomodo  caritas  Dei  manet  in  eo  ? 

\  John  hi.  "  He  that  hath  the  substance  of  this  world,  and  shall  see  his 
brother  to  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  entire  affection 
from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him?"  There 
was  a  certain  manner  of  having  things  in  common  in  the 
time  of  the  apostles.  For  some  good  men,  as  Barnabas  was, 
sold  their  lands  and  possessions,  and  brought  the  money  unto 

The  cause      the  apostles  :  but  that  was  done  for  this  cause, — there  was 

why  tile  x 

^hatseinhad  a  great  many  of  christian  people  at  that  time  entreated  very 
common.  jj^  insomuch  that  they  left  all  their  goods  :  now,  such  folk 
came  unto  the  apostles  for  aid  and  help ;  therefore  those 
which  were  faithful  men,  seeing  the  poverty  of  their  bre- 
thren, went  and  sold  that  that  they  had,  and  spent  the 
money  amongst  such  poor  which  were  newly  made  Christians. 
Amongst  others  which  sold  their  goods  there  was  one  Ana- 
[!  the  impenitent,  1584.] 


XXI.]  ON    THE    LORIES    PRAYER.  407 

nias  and  Saphira  his  wife,  two  very  subtile  persons  :  they  went  Ananias  ana 

iiii.  ■    i  t  •  i  Saphira  Ins 

and  sold  their  goods  too ;  but  they  played  a  wise  part :  they  wife. 
would  not  stand  in  danger  of  the  losing  of  all  their  goods ; 
therefore  they  agreed  together,  and  took  the  one  part  from2 
the  money,  and  laid  it  up ;  with  the  other  part  they  came 
to  Peter,  affirming  that  to  be  the  whole  money.  For  they 
thought  in  their  hearts,  like  as  all  unfaithful  men  do,  "We  it  is  good  to 
cannot  tell  how  long  this  religion  shall  abide ;  it  is  good  to 


be  wise,  and  keep  somewhat  in  store,  whatsoever  shall  happen.'" 
Now  Peter,  knowing  by  the  Holy  Ghost  their  falsehood,  first 
slew  him  with  one  word,  and  after  her  too :  which  indeed  is 
a  fearful  ensample,  whereby  we  should  be  monished  to  be- 
ware of  lies  and  falsehood.  For  though  God  punish  thee 
not  by  and  by,  as  he  did  this  Ananias,  yet  he  shall  find  thee ; 
surely  he  will  not  forget  thee.  Therefore  learn  here  to  take  Lea™  to 
heed  of  falsehood,  and  beware  of  lies.  For  this  Ananias,  this  faeiTehoo.i. 
wilful  Ananias,  I  say,  because  of  this  wilful  lie,  went  to  hell 
with  his  wife,  and  there  shall  be  punished  world  without 
end.  Where  you  see  what  a  thing3  it  is  to  make  a  lie.  This 
Ananias  needed  not  to  sell  his  lands,  he  had  no  such  com- 
mandment :  but  seeing  he  did  so,  and  then  came  and  brought 
but  half  the  price,  making  a  pretence  as  though  he  had 
brought  all,  for  that  he  was  punished  so  grievously.  0  what 
lies  are  made  now-a-days  in  England,  here  and  there  in  the 
markets !  truly  it  is  a  pitiful  thing  that  we  nothing  consider 
it.  Tins  one  ensample  of  Ananias  and  Saphira,  their  punish-  Ananias 
mentj  is  able  to  condemn  the  whole  world.  Eisiie. 

You  have  heard  now,  how  men  had  things  in  common 
in  the  first  church  :  but  St  Paul  he  teacheth  us  how  things 
ought  to  be  in  common  amongst  us,  saying,  Sitis  necessita- 
tibus  sanctorum  communicantes ;  "Help  the  necessity  of  those 
which  be  poor."     Our  good  is  not  so  ours  that  we  may  do  We  may  not 
with  it  what  us  listeth ;  but  we  ought  to  distribute  it  unto  list  with  our 
them  which  have  need.     No   man,   as  I  told   you  before,  g°° 
ought  to  take  away  my  goods  from  me ;  but  I  ought  to 
distribute  that  that  I  may  spare,  and  help  the  poor  withal. 
Communicantes  necessitatibus,  saith    St  Paul ;    "  Distribute 
them  unto  the  poor,"  let  them  lack  nothing ;  but  help  them 
with  such  things  as  you  may  spare.      For  so  it  is  written, 
Cui  plus  datum  est,  plus  requiretur  ab  illo ;  "  He  that  hath  He  that  hath 
[2  of,  1584.]  p  grievous  thing,  1562.] 


irnished  for 


408  THE    FIFTH    SERMON  [&ERM. 

much  shaii    much,  must  make  account  for  much ;  and  if  he  have  not  spent 

answer  for        .  __  i  i         i  •  t»         -r-  1 

much.         ]t  well,   he  must  make  the  heavier  account.        But  I  speak 

not  this  to  let  poor  folks  from  labour ;  for  we  must  labour 

and  do  the  works  of  our  vocation,  every  one  in  Ins  calling : 

for  so  it  is  written,  Labores  manuum  tuamtm  manducabis,  et 

bene  tibi  erit,  "  Thou  shalt  eat  thy  hand-labour,  and  it  shall 

go  well  with  thee."     That  is  to  say,  every  man  shall  work 

for  his  living,  and  shall  not  be  a  sluggard,  as  a  great  many 

be :  every  man  .shall  labour  and  pray ;  then  God  will  send 

2Thess.  in.    him  his  living.    St  Paul  saith,  Qui  non  labor  at,  non  comedat; 

Lubbers  that  "  He  that  laboureth  not,  let  him  not  eat."     Therefore  those 

labour"        lubbers  which  will  not  labour,  and  might  labour,  it  is  a  good 

thing  to  punish  them  according  unto  the  king's  most  godly 

statutes.    For  God  himself  saith,  In  sudore  vultus  tui  vesceris 

pane  tao;  "In  the  sweat  of  thy  face  thou  shalt  eat  thy  bread." 

Then  cometh  in  St  Paul,  who  saith,  Magis  autem  laboret,  ut 

we  must      det  indigentibus ;  "Let  him  labour  the  sorer,  that  he  may 

we  may  have  have  wherewith  to  help  the  poor."    And  Christ  himself  saith, 

wherewith  to  x  l 

poo6/6  the  Melius  est  dare  quam  accipere ;  "  It  is  better  to  give  than 
to  take."  So  Christ,  and  all  his  apostles,  yea,  the  whole 
scripture  admonisheth  us  ever  of  our  neighbour,  to  take  heed 
of  him,  to  be  pitiful  unto  him :  but  God  knoweth  there  be  a 
great  many  which  care  little  for  their  neighbours.  They  do 
like  as  Cain  did,  when  God  asked  him,  "  Cain,  where  is  thy 
brother  Abel?"      "What,"  saith  he,   "am   I  my  brother's 

covetous      keeper?"     So  these  rich  franklings1,  these  covetous  fellows. 

men  are  like 

unto  cain.  they  scrape  all  to  themselves,  they  think  they  should  care 
for  nobody  else  but  for  themselves :  God  commandeth  the 
poor  man  to  labour  the  sorer,  to  the  end  that  he  may  be  able 
to  help  his  poor  neighbour  :  how  much  more  ought  the  rich 
to  be  liberal  unto  them ! 

Give,  give,  is         But  vou  will  say,  "  Here  is  a  marvellous  doctrine,  which 

a  marvellous  J  J  '  » 

the  covetous  commandeth  nothing  but  '  Give,  Give :'  if  I  shall  follow  this 
man-  doctrine,   I    shall  give  so  much,   that  at  the  length  I  shall 

have  nothing  left  for  myself.'"  These  be  words  of  infidelity  ; 
he  that  speaketh  such  words  is  a  faithless  man.  And  I  pray 
you,  tell  me,  have  ye  heard  of  any  man  that  came  to  poverty, 
because  he  gave  unto  the  poor  ?  Have  you  heard  tell  of  such 
No  man       a  one  ?    No,  I  am  sure  you  have  not.     And  I  dare  lay  my 

cometh  to  .  .  ill 

liei  ei"y  the    nead  to  pledge  for  it,  that  no  man  living  hath  come,  or  shall 
[l  A  man  above  a  vassal;  a  freeholder.] 


XXI.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  409 

hereafter  come  to  poverty,  because  he  hath  been  liberal  in 
helping  the  poor.  For  God  is  a  true  God,  and  no  liar :  he 
promiseth  us  in  his  word,  that  wo  shall  have  the  more  by- 
giving  to  the  needy.  Therefore  the  way  to  get  is  to  scatter 
that  that  you  have.  Give,  and  you  shall  gain.  If  you  ask  me, 
"How  shall  I  get  riches?"  I  make  thee  this  answer  :  "Scat- 
ter that  that  thou  hast ;  for  giving  is  gaining."    But  you  must  Giving  u 

>  &  .  ,  gaining  if  wo 

take    heed,    and    scatter    it  according-  unto    God's  will  and  g,ive  *? we 

O  m     should. 

pleasure ;  that  is,  to  relieve  the  poor   withal,  to  scatter  it 

amongst  the  flock   of  Christ.      Whosoever  giveth    so    shall 

surely  gain  :  for  Christ  saith,  Date,  et  dabitur  vobis ;  "  Give,  Luke  vi.  at. 

and  it   shall  be  given  unto  you."     Dabitur,   "  it   shall   be 

given  unto  you."     This  is  a  sweet  word,  we  can  well  away 

with  that ;  but  how  shall  we  come  by  it  ?    Date,  "  Give." 

This  is  the  way  to  get,  to  relieve  the  poor.     Therefore  this 

is  a  false  and  wicked  proposition,  to  think  that  with  giving 

unto  the  poor  we  shall  come  to  poverty.     What  a  giver  was  Lot  was  a 

Loth,  that  good  man  :  came  he  to  poverty  through  giving  ?  arge  giver" 

No,  no  ;  he  was  a  great  rich  man.     Abraham,  the  father  of  Abraham  was 

all  believers,  what  a  liberal  man  was  he  ;  insomuch  that  he  also. 

sat  by  his  door  watching  when  any  body  went  by  the  way, 

that  he   might   call  him,  and  relieve  his  necessity !    What, 

came  he  to  poverty  ?    No,  no  :  he  died  a  great  rich  man. 

Therefore  let  us  follow  the  ensample  of  Loth  and  Abraham : 

let  us  be  liberal,  and  then  we  shall  augment  our  stock.     For 

this  is  a  most  certain  and  true  word,  Date,  et  dabitur  vobis; 

"  Give,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you."     But  we  believe  it 

not ;  we  cannot  away  with  it.    The  most  part  of  us  are  more  we  cannot 

given  to  take  from  the  poor,  than  to  relieve  them  poverty,  Sword1 

They  be  so  careful  for  their  children,  that  they  cannot  tell 

when  they  be   well.     They  purchase  this  house  and   that 

house  ;  but  what   saith  the  prophet  ?     Vaz,   qui  conjungitis  isai.  v. 

domum  domui;  "Woe  be  unto  you  that  join  house  to  house  !" 

the  curse  of  God  hangeth  over  your  heads.      Christ  saith, 

Qui  diligit  patrem  vet  matrem  vet  filios  plus  quam  me  non 

est  me  dignus ;   "  He  that  loveth  his  father  or  mother  or 

children  more  than  me,  he  is  not  meet  for  me."      Therefore  wiiotheybe 

those  which  scrape  and  gather  ever  for  their  children,  and  in  thtiASrui 

pi  i  n  ill  more  than 

the  mean  season  forget  the  poor,   whom  God  would  have  Gotl- 
relieved;  those,  I  say,  regard  their  children  more  than  God's 
commandments :  for  their  children  must  be  set  up,  and  the 


410  THE    FIFTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

Hapy  is  the  poor  miserable  people  is  forgotten  in  the  mean  season.  There 
fatWsoeth  is  a  common  saying  amongst  the  worldlings,  Happy  is  that 
child  whose  father  goeth  to  the  devil :  but  this  is  a  worldly 
happiness.  The  same  is  seen  when  the  child  can  begin  with 
two  hundred  pound,  whereas  his  father  began  with  nothing  : 
it  is  a  wicked  happiness,  if  the  father  gat  those  goods  wick- 
edly. And  there  is  no  doubt  but  many  a  father  goeth  to 
the  devil  for  his  child's  sake ;  in  that  he  neglected  God^s 
commandment,  scraped  for  his  child,  and  forgat  to  relieve  his 
poor  miserable  neighbour.  We  have  in  scripture,  Qui  mise- 
Godiyand     retur  pauperis,  fceneratur  Deo  ;    "Whosoever  hath  pity  over 

lawful  usury.  i        i         •,      i  ^      i  i  • 

the  poor,  he  lendeth  unto  (rod  upon  usury  :  that  is  to  say, 
God  will  give  it  unto  Mm  again  with  increase  :  this  is  a 
lawful  and  godly  usury. 

Certain  it  is,  that  usury  was  allowed  by  the  laws  of  this 
realm l ;  yet  it  followed  not  that  usury  was  godly,  nor  allowed 
before  God.  For  it  is  not  a  good  argument,  to  say,  "  It  is 
forbidden  to  take  ten  pounds  of  the  hundred,  ergo,  I  may 
take  five  :"  like  as  a  thief  cannot  say,  "It  is  forbidden  in  the 
law  to  steal  thirteen-pence  half-penny  ;  ergo,  I  may  steal  six- 
No  good  pence,  or  three-pence,  or  two-pence."  No,  no;  this  reaSOll- 
argument         J-  7  J-  -i 

before  God.  jng  w^  not  serve  afore  God  :  for  though  the  law  of  this 
realm  hangeth  him  not,  if  he  steal  four-pence,  yet  for  all 
that  he  is  a  thief  before  God,  and  shall  be  hanged  on  the 
fiery  gallows  in  hell.  So  he  that  occupieth  usury,  though  by 
the  laws  of  this  realm  he  might  do  it  without  punishment, 
smaii  usury  (for  the  laws  are  not  so  precise,)  yet  for  all  that  he  doth 
;Nfts  iv  both  wickedlv  in  the  sight  of  God.      For  usury  is  wicked  before 

wicked.  JO  </ 

God,  be  it  small  or  great ;  like  as  theft  is  wicked.  But  I 
will  tell  you  how  you  shall  be  usurers  to  get  much  gain. 
Give  it  unto  the  poor ;  then  God  will  give  it  to  thee  with 
gain.  Give  twenty  pence,  and  thou  shalt  have  forty  pence, 
if  God  be  It  shall  come  again,  thou  shalt  not  lose  it ;  or  else  God  is  not 
not  lose        God.      What  needeth  it  to  use  such  deceitfulness  and  false- 

our  alms. 

to  distribute  hood  to  get  riches  ?     Take  a  lawful  way  to  get  them  ;  that 
is  the  lawful  is,  to  scatter  this  abroad  that  thou  hast,  and  then  thou  shalt 

way  to  gain.  ...  . 

have  it  again  with  great  gam :  quadruplum,  "  four  times," 
saith  scripture.  Now  God's  word  saith,  that  I  shall  have 
again  that  which  I  laid  out  with  usury,  with  gain.      Is  it  true 

[l  The   laws   that  "  allowed"  usury  were   repealed,  and  all  usury 
strietly  forbidden  by  the  5  and  6  Edw.  VI.,  c.  20.] 


XXI.]  ON    THE    LORD"1*    PRAYER.  411 

that  God  saith  ?  Yes :  then  let  me  not  think,  that  giving  unto 
the  poor  doth  diminish  my  stock,  when  God  saith  the  contrary, 
namely,  that  it  shall  increase ;  or  else  we  make  God  a  liar. 
For  if  I  believe  not  his  sayings,  then  by  mine  infidelity  I 
make  him  a  liar,  as  much  as  is  in  me.      Therefore  learn  here  a  lesson  for 

rich  men. 

to  commit  usury  :  and  specially  you  rich  men,  you  must 
learn  this  lesson  well ;  for  of  you  it  is  Avritten,  "  Whosoever 
hath  much,  must  make  account  for  much."  And  you  have 
much,  not  to  that  end,  to  do  with  it  what  you  lust ;  but  you 
must  spend  it  as  God  appointeth  you  in  his  word  to  do  :  for 
no  rich  man  can  say  before  God,  "  This  is  my  own."  No,  he 
is  but  an  officer  over  it,  an  almoner,  God's  treasurer.  Our 
Saviour  saith,  Omnis  qui  reliquerit  agrum,  fyc,  centuplum 
accipiet ;  "  Whosoever  shall  leave  his  field,  shall  receive  it 
again  an  hundred  fold."  As,  if  I  should  be  examined  now  of 
the  papists,   if  they   should  ask    me,    "Believe   you  in  the  The  mass « 

a  .  the  devils 

mass?"  I  say,  "No;  according  unto  God's  word,  and  my  doctrine- 
conscience,  it  is  naught,  it  is  but  deceitfulness,  it  is  the  devil's 
doctrine."  Now  I  must  go  to  prison,  I  leave  all  things  be- 
hind me,  wife  and  children,  goods  and  land,  and  all  my 
friends  :  I  leave  them  for  Christ's  sake,  in  his  quarrel.  What 
saith  our  Saviour  unto  it?  Centuplum  accipiet;  "I  shall  have 
an  hundred  times  so  much."  Now  though  this  be  spoken  in 
such  wise,  yet  it  may  be  understood  of  ahns-giving  too.  For 
that  man  or  woman  that  can  find  in  their  hearts  for  God's 
sake  to  leave  ten  shillings  or  ten  pounds,  they  shall  have  "an 
hundred-fold  again  in  this  life,  and  in  the  world  to  come  life 
everlasting."  If  this  will  not  move  our  hearts,  then  they  are  stony  and 
more  than  stony  and  flinty  ;  then  our  damnation  is  just  and 
well  deserved.  For  to  give  alms,  it  is  like  as  when  a  man 
cometh  unto  me,  and  desireth  an  empty  purse  of  me  :  I  lend 
him  the  purse,  he  cometh  by  and  by  and  bringeth  it  full  of 
money,  and  giveth  it  me ;  so  that  I  have  now  my  purse 
again,  and  the  money  too.  So  it  is  to  give  alms  :  we  lend  a  good , 
an  empty  purse,  and  take  a  full  purse  for  it.  Therefore  let 
us  persuade  ourselves  in  our  hearts,  that  to  give  for  God's 
sake  is  no  loss  unto  us,  but  great  gain.  And  truly  the  poor 
man  doth  more  for  the  rich  man  in  taking  things  of  him,  than 
the   rich   doth   for  the  poor  in  giving  them.      For  the  rich  Few  rich  r 

r  o  »  will  b»l'f' 

giveth  but  only  worldly  goods,  but  the  poor  giveth  him  by  tnis- 
the  promise  of  God  all  felicity. 


hard  hearts. 


Ill  Kill'. 


Ill   bulK'U 


412  THE    FIFTH    SERMON,    &C.  [sERM.    XXI.] 

Quotidianum,  "  Daily."  Here  we  learn  to  cast  away  all 
carefulness,  and  to  come  to  this  storehouse  of  God,  where  we 
shall  have  all  things  competent  both  for  our  souls  and  bodies. 
the<§rayfor  Further,  in  this  petition  we  desire  that  God  will  feed  not  only 
our  bodies,  but  also  our  souls ;  and  so  we  pray  for  the  office 
of  preaching.  For  like  as  the  body  must  be  fed  daily  with 
meat,  so  the  soul  requireth  her  meat,  which  is  the  word  of 
God.  Therefore  we  pray  here  for  all  the  clergy,  that  they 
may  do  their  duties,  and  feed  us  with  the  word  of  God 
according  to  their  calling. 

Now  I  have  troubled  you  long,  therefore  I  will  make  an 

end.     I  desire  you  remember 1  to  resort  to  this  storehouse : 

whatsoever  ye  have  need  of,  come  hither ;  here  are  all  things 

necessary  for  your  soul  and  body,  only  desire  them.     But 

what  apparei  you  have  heard  how  you   must  be   apparelled  ;   you  must 

haV,  that'      labour  and  do  your  duties,  and  then  come,  and  you  shall  find 

will  come  .  J  d  . 

to  God's        an  things  necessary  for  you  :  and  specially  now  at  this  time 

store-house.  &  "  »  I  «/ 

let  us  resort  unto  God ;  for  it  is  a  great  drought,  as  we  think, 
and  we  had  need  of  rain.  Let  us  therefore  resort  unto  our 
loving  Father,  which  promiseth,  that  when  we  call  upon  him 
with  a  faithful  heart,  he  will  hear  us.  Let  us  therefore 
desire  him  to  rule  the  matter  so,  that  we  may  have  our 
God  heard     bodily  sustenance.     We  have  the  ensample  of  Elias,  whose 

Klias'  prayer.  "  x  . 

prayer  God  heard.  Therefore  let  us  pray  this  prayer,  winch 
our  Saviour  and  Redeemer  Jesus  Christ  himself  taught  us, 
saying,  "  Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,"  &c.  Amen. 

[*  to  remember,  1584.] 


THE  SIXTH   SERMON  UPON  THE   LORD'S  PRAYER,   MADE 
BY  MASTER   HUGH   LATIMER. 


[MATTHEW  VI.  12.] 
Et  remitte  nobis  debita  nostra,  sicut  et  nos  remittimus  debitoribus  nostris. 
And  forgive  us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  them  that  trespass  against  us.  The  fifth 

petition  of 
the  Pater- 
THIS  is  a  very  good  prayer,  if  it  be  said  in  faith  with  n°"teT' 
the  whole  heart.      There  was  never  none  that  did  say  it  with  Never  man 
the  heart,  but  he  had  forgiveness ;  and  his  trespasses  and  all  pnwwwith 
his  sins  were  pardoned  and  taken  from  him.     As  touching  i>ut  he  Lid 
the  former  petitions,  I  told  you  that  many  things  were  con- 
tained in  them ;   which  you  may  perceive  partly  by  that  I 
have  said,  and  partly  by  gatherings  and  conjectures.     Truly 
there  is  a  great  doctrine  in  it ;  yet  we  think  it  to  be  but  a 
light  matter  to  understand  the  Lord's  prayer :  but  it  is  a  it  is  a  great 
great  thing.     Therefore  I  would  have  you  to  mark  it  well :  undeVstan.i 
but  specially  keep  in  your  remembrance,  how  our  Saviour  prayer"1  s 
teacheth  us  to  know  the  liberality  of  God,  how  God  hath 
determined  to  help  us ;  insomuch  that  we  shall  lack  nothing, 
if  we  come  to  his  treasure-house,  where  is  locked  up  all  things 
necessary  for  our  souls  and  bodies.     Farther,  consider  by  the 
same  petition  that  we  be  but  beggars  altogether.     For  the 
best  of  us  hath  need  to  say  daily,  "  Our  Father,  give  us  this  The  best  of 
clay  our  daily  bread."     I  would  these  proud  and  lofty  fellows  beggar"'  a 
would  consider  this,  namely,  that  they  be  but  beggars ;  as 
St  Paul  saith,  Quid  habes  quod  11011  accepisti  ?  "  What  have 
ye,  that  you  have  not  gotten  with  begging?"     Yet  most, 
above  all  things,  I  would  have  you  to  consider  this  word 
"our;"  for  in  that  word  are  contained  great  mysteries  and 
much  learning.     All  those  that  pray  this  prayer,  that  is  to  The  poor 
say,  all  christian  people,  help  me  to  get  my  living  at  God's  fteridf and 
hand ;   for  when  they  say  "  our,"  they  include  me  in  their  laboureth  for 
prayers.      Again,   consider   the   remedy  against  carefulness; 
which  is  to  trust  in  God,  to  hang  upon  him,  to  come  to  his 
treasure-house ;   and  then  to  labour,  and  to  do  the  works  of 


414 


THE     SIXTH     SERMON 


How  men 
have  pro- 
priety in 
things. 


Princes  are 

sometime 

companions 


Few  follow 
Zaehee  in 
this  point. 


Restitution 

is  allowed  of 
all  writers. 


our  vocation :  then  undoubtedly  God  will  provide  for  us,  we 
shall  not  lack.  Therefore  learn  to  trust  upon  the  Lord,  and 
leave  this  wicked  carefulness,  whereof  our  Saviour  monisheth 
us.  Specially,  I  would  have  you  to  consider  what  a  wicked 
opinion  this  is,  to  fantasy  that  giving  to  the  poor  is  a  di- 
minishing of  our  goods.  I  told  you  of  late  of  the  proprieties 
of  things,  how  things  he  ours,  and  how  they  be  not  ours. 
All  those  things  which  we  have,  either  by  labour  or  by  in- 
heritance, or  else  by  gifts,  or  else  by  buying,  all  those  things 
which  we  have  by  such  titles  be  our  own ;  but  yet  not  so 
that  we  may  spend  them  according  to  our  own  pleasure. 
They  be  ours  upon  the  condition  that  we  shall  spend  them 
to  the  honour  of  God,  and  the  relieving  of  our  neighbours. 
And  here  I  spake  of  restitution ;  how  we  ought  to  make 
amends  unto  that  man  whom  we  have  deceived,  or  taken, 
goods  wrongfully  from  him.  There  be  some  men  which  think 
there  is  no  other  theft  but  only  taking  of  purses,  and  killing 
men  by  the  way,  or  stealing  other  men's  good.  Those  men 
are  much  deceived ;  for  there  be  varia  genera  furti,  "  A 
great  number  of  thieves."  What  was  tins  but  a  theft,  when 
Esay  saith,  Principes  tui  infideles,  socii  furum ;  "  Thy 
princes  are  infidels,  and  are  companions  with  thieves?"  This 
was  a  theft,  but  it  was  not  a  common  theft ;  it  was  a  lordly 
theft :  they  could  tell  how  to  weary  men,  and  so  to  take 
bribes  of  them.  Such  a  one  was  Zaehee :  he  robbed  not 
men  by  the  highway,  but  he  was  an  oppressor,  and  forced 
men  to  pay  more  than  they  ought  to  pay ;  which  his  so 
doing  was  as  well  a  theft,  as  if  he  had  robbed  men  by  the 
highway.  There  be  many  which  follow  Zaehee  in  his  illness, 
but  there  be  but  few,  or  none  at  all,  which  will  follow  him 
in  his  goodness :  Si  quern  defraudavi,  reddam  quadruplum ; 
"  If  I  have  deceived  any  man,  I  will  pay  it  again  fourfold." 
I  would  wish  that  all  bribers  and  false  tollers  would  follow 
his  ensample.  But  I  tell  you,  without  restitution  there  is  no 
salvation.  This  is  a  certain  sentence,  allowed  and  approved, 
first,  by  the  holy  scripture ;  secondarily,  by  all  the  writers 
that  ever  wrote  upon  scripture.  Yea,  the  very  school-doctors1, 
as  bad  as  they  were,  yet  they  never  contraried  in  that,  but 

[J  The  teaching  of  the  "school-doctors"  on  this  subject  maybe 
seen  in  John  de  Burgh,  Pupilla  Oculi,  &c.  Pai't.  V.  c.  5 : — a  clerical 
Manual  which  was  very  popular  during  the  15th  and  16th  centuries.] 


XXII.]  ON    THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  415 

said:  Restitutiones  famce  ac  rerum  sunt  opera  debit  a ;  "We 
ought  to  make  restitution  of  a  man's  good  name,  and  of  his 
goods  taken  from  him  wrongfully :"  that  is  to  say,  when  we 
have  slandered  any  body,  we  ought  to  make  him  amends. 
Item,  also,  when  we  have  taken  any  man's  goods  wrongfully, 
we  ought  to  make  him  amends ;  else  we  shall  never  be  saved : 
for  God  abhorreth  me,  and  all  things  that  I  do  are  abominable 
before  him. 

Remitte.  Who  is  in  this  world  which  hath  not  need  to 
say,  "Lord,  forgive  me?"  No  man  living,  nor  never  was, 
nor  shall  be,  our  Saviour  only  excepted :  he  was  Agnus  im- 
maculatus,  "  An  undefiled  Lamb."  I  remember  a  verse 
which  I  learned  almost  forty  years  ago,  which  is  this :  Swpe 
precor  mortem,  mortem  quoque  deprecor  idem";  "I  pray  many 
times  for  death  to  come ;  and  again  I  pray,  that  he  shall  not 
come."    This  verse  doth  put  diversity  in  precor  and  deprecor:  for  some 

i  <J  1  l  things  we 

precor  is,  when  I  would  fain  have  a  thing ;  deprecor  is,  when  g^g  ^c 

I  would  avoid  it.      Like  as  Elias  the  prophet,  when  Jezabel  ^"iybe 

had  killed  the  prophets  of  the  Lord;  Elias,  being  in  a  hole  ^{S  and 

in  the  mount,  desired   of  God  to   die ;  and  this  is  precor. 

Now  deprecor  is  his  contrarium;  when  I  would  avoid  the 

thing,  then  I  use  deprecor.     Now  in  the  Lord's  prayer,  till  %nf$£°}e 

hither  we  have  been  in  precor ;  that  is  to  say,  we  have  de-  ^* ^|en 

sired  tilings  at  God's  hand.     Now  cometh  deprecor ;  I  desire  dePrecor- 

him  now  to  remove  such  things  which  may  do  me  harm :  as 

sin,  winch  doth  harm;   therefore  I  would  have  him  to  take  our  request 

.  to  God  to 

away  my  trespasses.      Now  who   is  in  this3  world,  or  ever  take  things 

a  •/  X  '  from  us. 

hath  been,  which  hath  not  need  to  say  this  deprecor;  to 
desire  God  to  take  from  him  his  sins,  to  "  forgive  him  his 
trespasses?"  Truly,  no  saint  in  heaven,  be  they  as  holy  as 
ever  they  will,  yet  they  have  had  need  of  this  deprecor; 
they  have  had  need  to  say,  "  Lord,  forgive  us  our  tres- 
passes." Now  you  ask,  wherein  standeth  our  righteousness  ? 
Answer  :  in  that,  that  God  forgiveth  unto  us  our  unrighteous- 
ness.    Wherein  standeth  our  goodness  ?     In  that,  that  God  our  goodness 

°  ii-      standeth  in 

taketh  away  our  illness ;  so  that  our  goodness  standeth  in  Gods g°od- 
his  goodness. 

In  the  other  petition  we  desire  all  things  necessary  for 
our  bodily  life,  as  long  as  we  be  here  in  this  world :    Unus- 
quisque  enim  tempus  certum  habet  prcedeftnitum  a  Domino; 
[2  Ovid,  Pont.  I.  2,  59.]  [3  the,  1562.] 


416  THE    SIXTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

"  For  every  man  hath  a  certain  time  appointed  him  of  God, 

and  God  hidcth  that  same  time  from  us."      For  some  die  in 

young  ago,  some  in  old  age,  according  as  it  pleaseth  him. 

hidetiffrom  -^-e  hath  n°t  manifested  to  us  the  time,  because  he  would 

(hy°ur  last     nave  us  at  a^  times  1'eady  :  else  if  I  knew  the  time,  I  would 

presume  upon  it,  and  so  should  be  worse.      But  he  would 

have  us  ready  at  all  times,  and  therefore  he  hideth  the  time 

a  common    of  our  death  from  us.      And  it  is  a  common  saying,  "  There 

do  come  as  many  skins  of  calves  to  the  market,  as  there  do 

God  granteth  of  bulls  or  kine."     But  of  that  we  may  be  sure,  there  shall 

wim'iunnc    not  fall  one  hair  from  our  head  without  his  will ;    and  we 

he  knowethj 

but  by  our     shall  not  die  before  the  time  that  God  hath  appointed  unto 

sins  we  may  _  _  _  1  I 

shorten  the  us  .  which  is  a  comfortable  thing,  specially  in  time  of  sickness 
or  wars.  For  there  be  many  men  which  are  afraid  to  go  to 
war,  and  to  do  the  king  service,  for  they  fear  ever  they  shall, 
be  slain.  Item,  vicars  and  parsons  be  afraid  when  there 
cometh  a  sickness  in  the  town ;  therefore  they  were  wont 
commonly  to  get  themselves  out  of  the  way,  and  send  a 
friar  thither,  which  did  nothing  else  but  rob  and  spoil 
them  :  which  doings  of  the  vicar  was  damnable ;  for  it  was 

Anadmo-     a  diffidence  and  a  mistrust  in  God.     Therefore,  ve  vicars, 

nition  to  " 

curates.  parsons,  or  curates,  what  name  soever  you  bear,  when 
there  cometh  any  sickness  in  your  town,  leave  not  your 
flock  without  a  pastor,  but  comfort  them  in  their  distress ; 
and  believe  certainly,  that  with  your  well-doings  you  cannot 
shorten  your  lives.  Likewise,  thou  subject,  when  thou  art 
commanded  by  the  king  or  his  officers  to  go  to  war,  to 
fight  against  the  king's  enemies;  go  with  a  good  heart  and 
courage,  not  doubting  but  that  God  will  preserve  thee,  and 

a  man  can     that  thou  canst  not  shorten  thy  life  with  well-doing.      Per- 

rot  shorten  J  .  ° 

l!ei''ion'yr  adventure  God  hath  appointed  thee  to  die  there,  or  to  be 
slain :  happy  art  thou  when  thou  diest  in  God's  quarrel. 
For  to  fight  against  the  king's  enemies,  being  called  unto  it 
by  the  magistrates,  it  is  God's  service  :  therefore  when  thou 
diest  in  that  service  with  a  good  faith,  happy  art  thou. 
There  be  some  which  say,  when  their  friends  are  slain  in 
battle,  "  Oh,  if  he  had  tarried  at  home,  he  should  not  have 
lost  his  life."  These  sayings  are  naught :  for  God  hath 
appointed  every  man  his  time.  To  go  to  war  in  presump- 
tuousness,  without  an  ordinary  calling,  such  going  to  war  1 
allow  not :  but  when  thou  art  called,  eo  in  the  name  of  the 


XXII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  417 

Lord ;  and  be  well  assured  in  thy  heart  that  thou  canst  not 
shorten  thy  life  with  well-doing. 

Remitte,  "Forgive  us."     Here  we  sue  for  our  pardon;  our  daily 
and  so  we  acknowledge  ourselves  to  be  offenders :  for  the  is  eaiied  the 

i  mi  -  '      •  jf  Pater-noster 

uno-mltv  ncedeth  no  pardon.      This  pardon,  or  remission  ol  doth  daily 

°      .  "  l  i  crave  a  par- 

sins,  is  so  necessary,  that  no  man  can  be  saved  without  ££nc^g|£ 
it.  Therefore  of  remission  standeth  the  christian  man's sake- 
life :  for  so  saith  David,  Beati  quorum  remissce  sunt  iniqui- 
tates,  et  quorum  tecta  sunt  peccata ;  "  They  are  blessed  of 
God  whose1  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  cover- 
ed." He  saith  not,  Blessed  be  they  which  have  never 
sinned :  for  where  dwell  such  fellows  which  never  sinned  ? 
Marry,  no  where ;  they  are  not  to  be  gotten.  Here  the 
prophet  signified  that  all  we  be  sinners ;  for  he  saith,  quorum  rsai.  xxxii. 

A1~  ,  J  J  A       J    SlICh  3S  nevel 

peccata  sunt  remissa,    "  whose  sins  are   pardoned."      And  ^1\1veh10^,e11 

here  we  be  painted  out  in2  our  colours,  else  we  would  be 

proud ;    and   so   he   saith   in   the   gospel,    Cum  sitis   mali, 

"  Forasmuch   as  ye  be  all  evil."     There  he  giveth  us  our 

own  title  and  name,  calling   us  wicked  and  ill.     There   is 

neither   man  nor  woman  that  can  say  they  have  no   sin ; 

for  we   bo  all   sinners.     But  how   can   we  hide  our  sins? 

Marry,  the  blood  of  our   Saviour  Jesus  Christ  hideth   our  The  wood  of 

*> '  ill  C1,rist  is 

sins,  and  washcth  them  away.     And  though  one  man  had  sufficient  for 

t/  o  the  sins  of 

done  all  the  world's  sins  since  Adam's  time,  yet  he  may  be  allthewoI"ul- 
remedied  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ :  if  he  believe  in  him, 
he  shall  be  cleansed  from  all  his  sins.  Therefore  all  our 
comfort  is  in  him,  in  his  love  and  kindness.  For  St  Peter 
saith,  Caritas  operit  multitudinem  peccatorum ;  "  Charity 
covereth  the  multitude  of  sins."  So  doth  indeed  the  love  of 
our  Saviour  Jesu  Christ :  his  love  towards  us  covereth  and 
taketh  away  all  our  sins ;  insomuch  that  the  almighty  God 
shall  not  condemn  us,  nor  the  devil  shall  not  prevail  against 
us.  Our  nature  is  ever  to  hide  sin,  and  to  cloak  it ;  but  our  nature 
this  is  a  wicked  hiding,  and  this  hiding  will  not  serve,  sin. 
Videt  et  requiret ;  "He  seeth  our  wickedness,  and  he  will 
punish  it3 :"  therefore  our  hiding  cannot  serve  us.  But  if 
you  be  disposed  to  hide  your  sins,  I  will  tell  you  how  you 
shall  hide  them.  First,  acknowledge  them  ;  and  then  believe 
in  our  Saviour  Christ ;  put  him  in  trust  withal :  he  will  pacify 

[•■  Who  is  blessed  of  God?   Marry  he,  whose,  &c,   1562.] 
[2  into,  1584.]  p  them,  1562.] 

27 

[latimer.] 


418  THE    SIXTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

his  Father ;   for  "  to  that  end  he  came  into  the  world,  to 

save  sinners."     This  is  the  right  way  to  hide  sins ;  not  to  go 

and    excuse    them,    or    to    make    them   no   sins.     No,    no ; 

the  prophet  saith,   Beatus  vir    cui  Dominus    non   imputat 

rsai. xxxii.    iniquitatem ;    "Blessed    is    that1    man   to    whom   the    Lord 

who  it  is      imputeth  not  his  sins."     He  saith  not,  "Blessed  is  he  that 

blessed.        clid   never   sin ;"    but,    "  Blessed   is  he  to  whom  sin  is  not 

imputed." 

And  so  here  in  this  petition  we  pray  for  remission  of  our 
sins ;  which  is  so  requisite  to  the  beginning  of  the  spiritual 
life,  that  no  man  can  come  thereto,  except  he  pray  for  re- 
mission of  his  sins ;  which  standeth  in  Christ  our  Redeemer : 
he  hath  washen  and  cleansed  our  sins ;  by  him  we  shall  be 
clean.  But  how  shall  we  come  to  Christ?  How  shall  we 
have  him  ?  I  hear  that  he  is  beneficial,  as  scripture  witness- 
eth  :  Copiosa-  est  apud  Deum  redemptio ;  "  There  is  full  and 
The  way  to  plenteous  redemption  by  him."  But  how  shall  I  get  that  ? 
redemption,  how  shall  I  come  unto  it?  By  faith2.  Faith  is  the  hand 
wherewith  we  receive  his  benefits ;  therefore  we  must  needs 
have  faith.  But  how  shall  we  obtain  faith?  Faith  indeed 
bringeth  Christ,  and  Christ  bringeth  remission  of  sins ;  but 
how  shall  we  obtain  faith  ?  Answer :  St  Paul  teacheth  us 
this,  saying  :  Fides  ex  auditu,  "  Faith  cometh  by  hearing 
God's  word."  Then  if  we  will  come  to  faith,  we  must  hear 
God's  word :  if  God's  word3  be  necessary  to  be  heard,  then 
we  must  have  preachers  which  be  able  to  tell  us  God's 
word.  And  so  it  appeareth,  that  in  this  petition  we  pray 
for  preachers ;  we  pray  unto  God,  that  he  will  send  men 
amongst  us,  which  may  teach  us  the  way  of  everlasting  life. 
The  erection  Truly  it  is  a  pitiful  thing  to  see  schools  so  neglected,  scholars 

and  main-  J      .         .      l  &  .      .  1 

tenance  of     not  maintained :    every  true   Christian  ought  to    lament  the 

colleges  and  J  ° 

Neglected  same-  But  I  have  a  good  hope,  since  God  hath  done  greater 
things  in  taking  away  and  extirping  out  all  popery,  that  he 
will  send  us  a  remedy  for  this  matter  too.  I  hope  he  will 
put   into  the   magistrates'   heart   to  consider  these4   things ; 

Faith  cometh  for  by  this  office  of  preaching  God  sendeth  faith.     The  office 

bv  preaching.  "  I  © 

is  the  office   of  salvation5;    for  "it  hath  pleased  God"  per 

t1  the,  1584.]  [2  Marry,  by  faith,  1562.] 

[3  if  we  must  hear  God's  word,  1562:    if  God's  word  be  not  neces- 
sary to  be  read,  then,  1607.] 

[4  those,  1562.]  [«  This  office  is  salvation,    1571,  1572,  1584.] 


XXII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  419 

stultitiam  prcedicationis  salvos  facere  credentes,  "  by  the 
foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  the  believers."  So,  I  say, 
we  pray  for  this6  office  which  bringeth  faith.  Faith  bring- 
eth  to  Christ ;  Christ  bringeth  remission  of  sins ;  remission 
of  sins  bringeth  everlasting  life. 

0,  this  is  a  godly  prayer,  which  we  ought  at  all  times  to 
say,  for  we  sin  daily  ;  therefore  we  had  need  to  say  daily, 
"  Forgive  us  our  trespasses  ;"  and,  as  David  saith,  Ne  intres  Psai.cxiiii. 
in  judicium  cum  servo  tao,  "  Lord,  enter  not  into  judgment 
with  thy  servant;"  for  we  be  not  able  to  abide  his  judgment. 
If  it  were  not  for  this  pardon,  which  we  have  in  our  Saviour 
Jesu  Christ,  we  should  all  perish  eternally.  For  when  this 
word,   Remitte,   was  spoken  with  a  good   faith  and  with  a  Prayer  doth 

it  it  not  profit  but 

penitent  heart,  there  was  never  man  but  he  was  heard.  If  where  faith 
Judas,  that  traitor,  had  said  it  with  a  good  faith,  it  should 
have  saved  him  ;  but  he  forgot  that  point.  He  was  taught 
it  indeed ;  our  Saviour  himself  taught  him  to  pray  so,  but  he 
forgot  it  again.  Peter,  he  remembered  that  point :  he  cried, 
Remitte,  "  Lord,  forgive  me  ; "  and  so  he  obtained  his  pardon. 
And  so  shall  we  do  :  for  we  be  ever  in  that  case,  that  we 
have  need  to  say,  Remitte,  "Lord,  forgive  us;"  for  we  ever 
do  amiss. 

But  here  is  one  addition,  one  hanger  on:  "As  we  forgive 
them  that  trespass  against  us."  What  meaneth  this  ?  Indeed 
it  soundeth  after  the  words,  as  though  we  might  or  should 
merit  remission  of  our  sins  with  our  forgiving.  As  for  an 
ensample :  That  man  hath  done  unto  me  a  foul  turn,  he  hath 
wronged  me ;  at  the  length  he  acknowledged  his  folly,  and 
cometh  to  me,  and  desireth  me  to  forgive  him  ;  I  forgive  him. 
Do  I  now,  in  forgiving  my  neighbour  his  sins  which  he  hath  we  must  for- 
done against  me,  do  I,  I  say,  deserve  or  merit  at  God's  hand  ouYm>  doing 
forgiveness   of  my   own   sins?  No,   no;   God  forbid!  for  if  claim  at 

&  J  .  .  God's  hand 

tins  should  be  so,  then  farewell  Christ :  it  taketh  him  clean  forgiveness ; 

for  that  is  to 

away,    it    diminisheth    his    honour,    and   it   is   very   treason  cMsu-hat 
wrought  against  Christ.     This  hath  been  in  times  past  taught  huShhich 
openly  in  the  pulpits   and  in  the  schools ;  but  it  was  very  pSrth^ed. 
treason  against  Christ :  for  in  him  only,  and  in  nothing  else, 
neither  in  heaven  nor  in  earth,  is  our  remission7 ;  unto  him 
only  pertaineth  this  honour.      For  remission  of  sins,  wherein 
consisteth  everlasting  life,  is  such  a  treasure,  that  passeth  all 
[6  the,  1584.]  [1  of  sins,  1584.] 

27—2 


420  THE    SIXTH    SERMON  [SERM. 

men's  doings :  it  must  not  be  our  merits  that  shall  serve,  but 
his.  He  is  our  comfort :  it  is  the  majesty  of  Christ,  and  his 
blood-shedding1,  that  cleanseth  us  from  our  sins.  Therefore, 
whosoever  is  minded  contrary  unto  this,  Factus  est  reus  Icesce 
majestatis;  "he  robbeth  Christ  of  his  majesty,"  and  so  cast- 
eth  himself  into  everlasting  danger.  For  though  the  works 
our  doings    which  we  do  be  e;ood  outwardly,  and  God  be  pleased  with 

are  all  imper-  ~  «  -1 

fect-  them,  yet  they  be  not  perfect :  for  we  believe  imperfectly, 

we  love  imperfectly,  we  suffer  imperfectly,  not  as  we  ought 
to  do  ;  and  so  all  things  that  we  do  are  done  imperfectly. 
But  our  Saviour,  he  hath  so  remedied  the  matter,  and  taken 
away  our  unperfectness2,  that  they  be  counted  now  before 
God  most  perfect  and  holy,  not  for  our  own  sake,  but  for 
his  sake :  and  though  they  be  not  perfect,  yet  they  be  taken 

^rfertneas10  ^or  Pei*fec<:  5   ancl  so  we  come  to  perfectness  by  him.      So  you 

fey  cnri»t.  see?  as  touching  our  salvation,  we  must  not  go  to  working  to 
think  to  get  everlasting  life  with  our  own  doings.  No,  this 
were- to  deny  Christ.  Salvation,  and  remission  of  sins  is  his 
gift,  his  own  and  free  gift3.  As  touching  our  good  works 
which  we  do,  God  will  reward  them  in  heaven ;  but  they 
cannot  get  heaven.  Therefore  let  every  man  do  well,  for  it 
shall  be  well  rewarded :  but  let  them  not  think  that  they 
with  their  doings  may  get  heaven  ;  for  so  doing  is  a  robbing 
of  Christ. 

What  shall  we  learn,  now,  by  this  addition,  where  we  say, 
"  As  we  forgive  them  that  trespass  against  us  ?"  I  tell  you, 
this  addition  is  put  unto  it  not  without  great  cause  :  for  our 

chmt  would  Saviour,  beino-  a  wise  and  perfect  schoolmaster,  would  speak 

speak  no  °   <  ....  . 

*1nds '"  no  W0I>ds  m  vain.  This  addition  is  put  unto  it,  to  be  a  cer- 
tain and  sure  token  unto  us,  whether  we  have  the  true  faith 
in  our  hearts  or  no.  For  faith,  the  right  faith,  I  say,  con- 
sisteth  not  in  the  knowledge  of  the  stories,  to  believe  the 
stories  written  in  the  new  and  old  Testament;  that  is  not 
the  lively  faith,  which  bringeth  salvation  with  her.      For  the 

The  devii  be-  devil  himself  believeth  the  stories,  and  yet  is,  and  shall  be 

heveth  the  .  « 

histories.  damned  world  without  end.  Therefore  we  must  have  the 
right  faith,  the  lively  faith,  the  faith  that  bringeth  salvation  ; 

I1  He  is  the  majesty  of  God,  and  his  blood-shedding  it  is,  1607.] 
[2  unperfectness  so,  1562.] 

[3  No  ;  this  were  to  deny  Christ's  salvation,  and  remission  of  sins, 
and  his  own  and  free  gift,  several  editions  after  1562.] 


XXII.]  ON    THE    LORd's    PRAYER.  421 

which  consisteth  in  believing  that  Christ  died  for  my  sins' 

sake.     With  such  a  faith  I  draw  him  unto  me  with  all  his 

benefits.      I  must  not  stand  in  generalities,  as  to  believe  that 

Christ  suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate :  but  I  must  believe  that  The  true  be- 
lief. 
that  was  done  for  my  sake  ;  to  redeem  with  his  passion  my 

sins,  and  all  theirs  which  believe  and  trust  in  him.  If  I  be- 
lieve so,  then  I  shall  not  be  deceived.  But  this  faith  is  a 
hard  thing  to  be  had ;  and  many  a  man  thinketh  himself  to 
have  that  faith,  when  he  hath  nothing  less.  Therefore  I 
will  tell  you  how  you  shall  prove  whether  you  have  the  right 
faith  or  no,  lest  you  be  deceived  with  a  phantasy  of  faith,  as 
many  be.  Therefore  prove  thyself  on  this  wise :  here  is  a 
man  which  hath  done  me  wrong,  hath  taken  away  my  living 
or  my  good  name ;  he  hath  slandered  me,  or  otherwise  hurt 
me  :  now  at  the  length  he  cometh  unto  me,  and  acknowledg- 
ed! his  faults  and  trespasses,  and  desireth  me  to  forgive  him: 
if  I  now  feel  myself  ready  and  willing  to  forgive  him,  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart,  all  things  that  he  hath  done  against 
me,  then  I  may  be  assured  that  I  have  the  lively  faith ;  yea, 
I  may  be  assured  that  God  will  forgive  me  my  sins  for  Christ  Learn  to 
his  Son's  sake.  But  when  my  neighbour  cometh  unto  me,  lively  faith, 
confessing  his  folly,  and  desiring  forgiveness  ;  if  I  then  be 
sturdy  and  proud,  my  heart  flinty,  and  my  stomach  bent  against 
him,  insomuch  that  I  refuse  his  request,  and  have  an  appetite  to 
be  avenged  upon  him ;  if  I  have  such  a  sturdy  stomach,  then  I 
may  pronounce  against  myself,  that  I  have  not  that  lively 
faith  in  Christ  which  cleanseth  my  sins.  It  is  a  sure  token 
that  I  am  not  of  the  number  of  the  children  of  God,  as  long 
as  I  abide  in  this  sturdiness. 

There  is  no  good  body  but  he  is  slandered  or  injured  by 
one   mean   or   other :   and  commonly   it  is  seen,  that  those  The  more 

v  godly  the 

which  live  most  godly,  have  in  this  world  the  greatest  rebukes :  sooner  sian- 
they  are  slandered  and  backbitten,  and  divers  ways  vexed  of 
the  wicked.  Therefore  thou,  whosoever  thou  art,  that  suffer- 
est  such  wrongs,  either  in  thy  goods  and  substance,  or  in  thy 
good  name  and  fame  ;  examine  thyself,  go  into  thy  heart ; 
and  if  thou  canst  rind  in  thy  heart  to  forgive  all  thy  enemies 
whatsoever  they  have  done  against  thee,  then  thou  mayest 
be  sure  that  thou  art  one  of  the  flock  of  God.  Yet  thou 
must  beware,  as  I  said  before,  that  thou  think  not  to  get  to 
heaven  by  such  remitting  of  thy  neighbour's  ill-doings  ;  but 


422 


THE    SIXTH    SERMON 


[■ 


If  we  lo\c 
God,  we  can- 
not chose  but 
love  our 
neighbour. 


by  such  forgiving,  or  not  forgiving,  thou  shalt  know  whether 
thou  have  faith  or  no.  Therefore  if  we  have  a  rebellious 
stomach,  and  a  flinty  heart  against  our  neighbour,  so  that  we 
are  minded  to  avenge  ourselves  upon  him,  and  so  take  upon 
us  God's  office,  which  saith,  Mihi  vindicta,  ego  retribuam, 
"Yield  unto  me  the  vengeance,  and  I  shall  recompense  them;" 
as  I  told  you,  we  be  not  of  the  flock  of  Christ.  For  it  is 
written,  Si  quis  diocerit  quoniam  diligo  Dcum,  et  odio  habet 
fratrem  suum,  mendax  est:  "Whosoever  saith,  I  love  God, 
and  hateth  his  brother,  that  man  or  woman  is  a  liar."  For 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  love  God  and  hate  my  neighbour. 
And  our  Saviour  saith,  Si  oraveritis,  remittite ;  "  When  you 
will  pray,  forgive  first ; "  else  it  is  to  no  purpose,  you  get 
nothing  by  your  prayer.  Likewise  we  see  in  the  parable  of 
that  king  which  called  his  servants  to  make  an  account  and 
pay  then'  debts,  where  he  remitteth  one  of  them  a  great 
sum  of  money  :  now  that  same  fellow,  whom  the  lord  par- 
doned, went  out  and  took  one  of  his  fellow-servants  by  the 
neck',  and  handled  him  most  cruelly,  saying,  "  Give  me  my 
money."  He  had  forgotten,  belike,  that  his  lord  had  for- 
given him.  Now  the  other  servants,  seeing  his  cruelness, 
came  unto  the  king,  and  told  him  how  that  man  used  himself 
so  cruelly  to  his  fellow  :  the  lord  called  him  again,  and  after 
great  rebukes  cast  him  into  prison,  there  to  lie  till  he  had 
paid  the  last  farthing.  Upon  that  our  Saviour  saith,  Sic  et 
Pater  metis  ccelestis  faciei  vobis,  si  non  remiseritis  unns- 
quisque  fratri  suo  de  cordibus  vestris :  "  Thus  will  my 
heavenly  Father  also  do  unto  you,  if  ye  forgive  not  every 
one  his  brother  even  from  your  hearts."  Therefore  let  us 
take  heed  by  that  wicked  servant,  which  would  not  forgive 
his  fellow-servant  when  he  desired  of  him  forgiveness,  saying, 
Patientiam  liabe  in  me,  et  omnia  reddam  tibi ;  "  Have  pa- 
tience with  me,"  saith  he,  "and  I  will  pay  thee  all  my  debts." 
But  we  cannot  say  so  unto  God ;  we  must  only  call  for 
pardon.  There  be  many  folk,  which  when  they  be  sick,  they 
say,  "  0  that  I  might  live  but  one  year  longer,  to  make 
amends  for  my  sins ! "  Wliich  saying  is  very  naught  and 
ungodly  ;  for  we  are  not  able  to  make  amends  for  our  sins ; 
only  Christ,  he  is  "  the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  our 
sins."  Therefore  when  we  be  sick,  we  should  say  :  "  Lord 
God,  thy  will  be  done  ;   if  I  can  do  any  thing  to  thy  honour 


XXII.]  Ch\     THE    LORDS    PUAYEK.  423 

and  glory,  Lord,  suffer  me  to  live  longer :  but  thy  will 
be  done  !"  As  for  satisfaction,  we  cannot  do  the  least  pieec 
of  it. 

You  have  heard  now,  how  we  ought  to  be  willing  to 
forgive  our  neighbours  their  sins,  which  is  a  very  token  that 
we  be1  children  of  God :  to  this  our  Saviour  also  exhorteth 
us,  saying,  Si  /rater  tuus  habet  aliquid  adversum  te,  relin- 
que,  $c.  "  If  thou  offerest  therefore  thy  gift  before  the  altar,  Matt.  v. 
and  there  remeuiberest  that  thy  brother  hath  somewhat  against 
thee,  leave  thou  thy  gift  there  before  the  altar,  and  go  first 
and  be  reconciled  unto  thy  brother."  "  Leave  it  there,"  saith  Reconciiia- 
our  Saviour,  "  if  thy  brother  have  any  thing  against  thee:  go  first  be  had. 
not  about  to  sacrifice  to  me,  but  first,  above  all  things,  go  and 
reconcile  thyself  unto  thy  brother."  On  such  wise  St  Paul 
also  exhorteth  us,  saying,  Volo  viros  orare  absque  ira  et 
disceptatione ;  "  I  would  have  men  to  pray  without  anger  and 
disceptation."  There  be  many  wranglers  and  brawlers  now- 
a-days,  which  do  not  well :  they  shall  well  know  that  they  be 
not  in  the  favour  of  God ;  God  is  displeased  with  them.  Let 
us  therefore  give  up  ourselves  to  prayer,  so  that  we  may 
love  God  and  our  neighbour.  It  is  a  very  godly  prayer 
to  say,  "  Lord,  forgive  us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  them 
that  trespass  against  us." 

But  there  be  peradventure  some  of  you,  which  will  say, 
"  The  priest  can  absolve  me  and  forgive  me  my  sins."  Sir, 
I  tell  thee,  the  priest  or  minister,  call  him  what  you  will,  Power  given 
he  hath  power  given  unto  him  from  our  Saviour  to  absolve  t°r  J 
in  such  wise  as  he  is  commanded  by  him :  but  I  think  minis- 
ters be  not  greatly  troubled  therewith ;  for  the  people  seek 
their  carnal  liberties ;  which  indeed  is  not  well,  and  a  thing 
which  misliketh  God.  For  I  would  have  them  that  are 
grieved  in  conscience  to  go  to  some  godly  man,  which  is  able 
to  minister  God's  word,  and  there  to  fetch  his  absolution,  if  he 
cannot  be  satisfied  in  the  public  sermon;  it  were  truly  a  thing 
which  would  do  much  good.  But,  to  say  the  truth,  there 
is  a  great  fault  in  the  priests ;  for  they  for  the  most  part  be 
unlearned  and  wicked,  and  seek  rather  means  and  ways  to 
wickedness  than  to  godliness.  But  a  godly  minister,  which  is  The  absoiu- 
instructed  in  the  word  of  God,  can  and  may  absolve  in  open  ministers 

r         may  give. 

[!  be  the,  1584.] 


The  manner 
of  binding. 


424  THE    SIXTH     SERMON  [sERM. 

preaching;  not  of  his  own  authority,  but  in  the  name  of  God: 
for  God  saith,  Ego  sum  qui  deleo  iniquitates ;  "  I  am  ho 
that  clcanseth  thy  sins."  But  I  may  absolve  you,  as  an  offi- 
cer of  Christ,  in  the  open  pulpit  in  this  wise :  "As  many 
as  confess  their  sins  unto  God,  acknowledging  themselves  to 
be  sinners;  and  believe  that  our  Saviour,  through  his  passion, 
hath  taken  away  their  sins,  and  have  an  earnest  purpose 
to  leave  sin ;  as  many,  I  say,  as  be  so  affectioncd,  Ego  ab- 
solvo  vos ;  I,  as  an  officer  of  Christ,  as  his  treasurer,  absolve 
you  in  his  name."  This  is  the  absolution  that  I  can  make 
by  God's  word.  Again,  as  many  as  will  stand  in  defence  of 
their  wickednesses,  will  not  acknowledge  them,  nor  purpose  to 
leave  them,  and  so  have  no  faith  in  our  Saviour,  to  be  saved 
by  him  through  his  merit ;  to  them  I  say,  Ego  ligo  vos, 
"  I  bind  you."  And  I  doubt  not  but  they  shall  be  bound  in 
heaven ;  for  they  be  the  children  of  the  devil,  as  long  as  they 
be  in  such  unbelief  and  purpose  to  sin.  Here  you  see,  how 
and  in  what  wise  a  preacher  may  absolve  or  bind :  but  he 
cannot  do  it  of  fellowship,  or  worldly  respect.  No,  in  no 
wise ;  he  must  do  it  according  as  Christ  hath  commanded 
him.  If  God  now  command  to  forgive  him,  qui  peccat  con- 
tra me,  "that  sinneth  against  me;"  how  much  more  must  I  be 
reconciled  to  him  whom  I  have  offended !  I  must  go  unto 
him,  and  desire  him  to  forgive  mo ;  I  must  acknowledge  my 
fault,  and  so  humble  myself  before  liim.  Here  a  man  might 
ask  a  question,  saying :  "  What  if  a  man  have  offended  me 
grievously ;  and  hath  hurt  me  in  my  goods,  or  slandered  me ; 
and  is  sturdy  in  it,  standeth  in  defence  of  himself  and  his  own 
wickedness,  he  will  not  acknowledge  himself;  shall  I  forgive 
The  imjxmi-  him  ?"    Answer  :  Forsooth,  God  himself  doth  not  so  ;  he  for- 

tent  person         m  m  . 

acknowledge  giveth  not  sins,  except  the  sinner  acknowledge  himself,  confess 

a»aimt  me     ms  wickedness,  and  cry  him  mercy.     Now  I  am  sure   God 

fo*iv#him,  requireth  no  more  at  our  hands  than  he  doth  himself.     There- 

MhVth  nimr"  fore  I  will  say  this :  if  thy  neighbour  or  any  man  hath  done 

against  thee,  and  will  not  confess  his  faults,  but  wickedly  de- 

fendeth  the  same,  I,  for  my  own  discharge,  must  put  away 

all  rancour  and  malice  out  of  my  heart,  and  be  ready,  as  far 

forth  as  I  am  able,  to  help  him ;  if  I  do  so,  I  am  discharged 

afore  God,  but  so  is  not  he.      For  truly  that  sturdy  fellow 

shall  make  an  heavy  account  before  the  righteous  Judge. 


xxn. ]  on  the  lord's  prayer.  425 

Here  I  have  occasion  to  speak  against  the  Novatians1, 
which  denv  remission  of  sins.    Their  opinion  is,  that  he  which  The  No- 

**  vatians* 

cometh  once  to  Christ,  and  hath  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  opinion, 
and  after  that  sinneth  again,  he  shall  never  come  to  Christ 
again  ;  his  sins  shall  never  be  forgiven  him  :  which  opinion  is 
most  erroneous  and  wicked,  yea,  and  clean  against  scripture. 
For  if  it  should  bo  so,  there  should  nobody  be  saved ;  for 
there  is  no  man  but  he  sinneth  daily.  I  told  you  how  you 
should  understand  those  two  places  of  scripture,  which  seem 
to  be  very  hard,  Non  est  sacrificium,  &c.  "  There  is  no  sa- 
crifice," &c.  As  concerning  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
we  cannot  judge  aforehand,  but  after.  I  know  now  that  Judas 
had  sinned  against  the  Holy  Ghost ;  also  Nero,  Pharao,  and 
one  Franciscus  Spira2;  which  man  had  forsaken  popery,  and 
done  very  boldly  in  God's  quarrel ;  at  the  length  he  was 
complained  of,  the  Holy  Ghost  moved  him  in  his  heart  to 
stick  unto  it,  and  not  to  forsake  God's  word ;  he,  contrary  to 
that  admonition  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  denied  the  word  of  God, 
and  so  finally  died  in  desperation :  him  I  may  pronounce  to 
have  sinned  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  I  will  shew 
you  a  remedy  for  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  Ask  re-  a  remedy  for 
mission  of  sin  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  then  I  ascertain  you  apmst  the 
that  you  sin  not  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  gratia  ex- 
superat  supra  peccatum ;  "  The  mercy  of  God  far  exceedeth 
our  sins." 

I  have  heard  tell  of  some,  which  when  they  said  this  pe-  Some  of 

"      a  f         purpose  will 

tition,  they  perceived  that  they  asked  of  God  forgiveness,  like  "^^jf^f 
as  they  themselves  forgive  their  neighbours ;  and  again,  per-  b^^hey 
ceiving  themselves  so  unapt  to  forgive  their  neighbours'  faults,  fn"heirfintl 
came  to  that  point,  that  they  would  not  say  this  prayer  at  foT^ve'them 
all;  but  took  our  Ladv's  Psalter3  in  hand,  and  such  fooleries;  trespassed 

17  them. 

[x  A  sect  which  took  its  rise  at  Rome,  in  the  year  251,  from  No- 
vatian  a  presbyter  of  that  church,  and  Novatus  a  presbyter  of  the 
church  of  Carthage.  Mosheim,  Eccles.  Hist.  Cent.  in.  Part  n.  ch.  v. 
§  IT,  18.] 

[2  An  eminent  lawyer  of  Citadella,  in  the  state  of  Venice.  His 
dismal  story  may  be  read  in  Sleidan,  Hist,  of  the  Reform,  translated 
by  Bohun,  p.  475.] 

[3  An  office  in  the  church  of  Rome  composed  in  honour  of  the 
virgin  Mary.  It  is  called  also  our  Lady's  Rosary,  and  consists  of  150 
Aves  Maria,  distributed  into  15  portions  of  10  Aves  each.  Before  the 
worshipper  of  the  Virgin  repeats  any  of  these  15  portions,  a  Pater 


426  THE    SIXTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

flunking  they  might  then  do  unto  their  neighbour  a  foul  turn 
with  a  better  conscience,  than  if  they  should  say  this  petition  : 
for  here  they  wish  themselves  the  vengeance  of  God  upon 
their  heads,  if  they  bear  grudge  in  their  hearts,  and  say  this 
petition.  But  if  we  will  be  right  Christians,  let  us  set  aside 
all  hatred  and  malice ;  let  us  live  godly,  and  forgive  our 
enemy ;  so  that  we  may  from  the  bottom  of  our  heart  say, 
"Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  forgive  us  our  trespasses." 
There  be  some  when  they  say,  "  Forgive  us  our  trespasses," 
they  think  that  God  will  forgive  culpam  only,  sed  non  pce- 
nam,  guiltiness  and  not  the  pain ;  and  therefore  they  believe 
they  shall  go  into  purgatory,  and  there  to  be  cleansed  from 
their  sins :  which  tiling  is  not  so ;  they  be  liars  which  teach 
such  doctrine.  For  God  forgiveth  us  both  the  pain  and  the 
guiltiness  of  sins:  like  as  it  appeared  in  David  when  he  re-. 
pented;  Nathan  said  unto  him,  Abstulit  Domhms  iniquitatem 
tuam,  "  The  Lord  hath  taken  away  thy  wickedness."  But 
they  will  say,  "  God  took  away  the  guiltiness  of  Ins  sins,  but 
not  the  pain ;  for  he  punished  liim  afterward."  Sir,  you 
".  must  understand  that  God  punished  him,  but  not  to  the  end 
that  he  should  make  satisfaction  and  amends  for  his  sins,  but 
for  a  warning.  God  would  give  him  a  Cave;  therefore  he 
punished  him.  So  likewise,  whosoever  is  a  repentant  sinner, 
as  David  was,  and  believeth  in  Christ,  he  is  clean  a  poena  et 
a  culpa,  both  from  the  pain  and  guiltiness  of  his  sins ;  yet 
God  punisheth  sins,  to  make  us  to  remember  and  beware  of 
sins. 

Now  to  make  an  end :  You  have  heard  how  needful  it  is 
for  us  to  cry  unto  God  for  forgiveness  of  our  sins :  where  you 
have  heard,  wherein  forgiveness  of  our  sins  standeth,  namely, 
in  Christ  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  Again,  I  told  you  how 
you  should  come  to  Christ,  namely,  by  faith ;  and  faith  cometh 
through  hearing  the  word  of  God.  Remember  then  this  ad- 
dition, "  As  we  forgive  them  that  trespass  against  us ;"  which 
is  a  sure  token,  whereby  we  know  whether  we  have  the  true 

Nuster  is  usually  recited.  The  Pater  Nosters  seem  to  have  been  omitted 
in  the  cases  alluded  to  by  the  preacher.  Moreri,  in  voc.  Rosaire: 
Officium  Beatse  Virginis,  pp.  725  et  scq.  Antverp.  1700.  Specimens  of 
the  marvellous  effects  attributed  to  tlje  use  of  this  Office  are  given  by 
John  Major,  Magnum  Speculum  Exemplornm,  in  voc.  Rosarium  B. 
Virgi>iix.] 


The 
vhv  God 


repentant 


XXII.]  ON     THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  427 

faith  in  Christ  or  no.  And  here  you  learn,  that  it  is  a  good 
thing  to  have  an  enemy ;  for  we  may  use  him  to  our  great 
commodity  :  through  him  or  by  him  we  may  prove  ourselves, 
whether  we  have  the  true  faith  or  no. 

Now  I  shall  desire  you  yet  again  to  pray  unto  almighty 
God,  that  he  will  send  such  weather,  whereby  the  fruits  of 
the  field  may  increase ;  for  we  think  we  have  need  of  rain. 
Let  us  therefore  call  upon  him,  which  knoweth  what  is  best 
for  us.  Therefore  say  with  me  the  Lord's  prayer,  as  he 
himself  hath  taught  us  :   "  Our  Father,  which  art,"  &c. 


428 


'HE    SEVENTH    BERMON 


THE  SEVENTH  SERMON  UPON  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


[MATTHEW  VI.  13.] 


The  sixth 
ami  seventh 
petitions  of 
the  Pater- 
noster. 


AM  man ki 
must  cry 
pardon. 


The  store- 
house of 

remission. 


Et  ne  nos  inducas  in  tentationem,  scd  libera  nos  a  tnalo. 
And  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil. 

In  the  petition  afore,  where  we  say,  "  Forgive  us  our 
trespasses,"  there  we  fetch  remedies  for  sins  past.  For  we 
must  needs  have  forgiveness  ;  we  cannot  remedy  the  matter 
of  ourselves  ;  our  sins  must  he  remedied  by  pardon,  by  remis- 
sion :  other  righteousness  we  have  not,  but  forgiving  of  our 
unrighteousness ;  our  goodness  standeth  in  forgiving  of  our 
illness.  All  mankind  must  cry  pardon,  and  acknowledge 
themselves  to  be  sinners;  except  our  Saviour,  who  was  clean 
without  spot  of  sin.  Therefore  when  we  feel  our  sins,  we 
must  with  a  penitent  heart  resort  hither,  and  say  :  "Our 
Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  forgive  us  our  trespasses,  as  we 
forgive  them  that  trespass  against  us."  Mark  well  this  addi- 
tion, "as  we  forgive  them  that  trespass;"  for  our  Saviour 
putteth  the  same  unto  it,  not  to  that1  end  that  we  should 
merit  any  thing  by  it,  but  rather  to  prove  our  faith,  whether 
Ave  be  of  the  faithful  flock  of  God  or  no.  For  the  right  faith 
abideth  not  in  that  man  that  is  disposed  purposely  to  sin,  to 
hate  his  even2  Christian,  or  to  do  other  manner  of  sins.  For 
whosoever  purposely  sinneth,  contra  conscientiam,  "  against 
his  conscience,"  he  hath  lost  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  remission  of 
sins,  and  finally  Christ  himself.  But  when  we  are  fallen  so, 
we  must  fetch  them  again  at  God's  hand  by  this  prayer, 
which  is  a  storehouse :  here  we  shall  find  remission  of  our 
sins.  And  though  we  be  risen  never  so  well,  yet  when  we 
fall  again,  when  we  sin  again,  what  remedy  then?  What 
availeth  it  me  to  be  risen  once,  and  fall  by  and  by  into  the 
self-same  sin  again,  which  is  a  renovation  of  the  other  sins  ? 
For  whosoever  hath  done  wickedly  an  act  against  God,  and 
afterward  is  sorry  for  it,  crieth  God  mercy,  and  so  cometh 
[!  the,  1^84.]  [2  fellow-christian.] 


XXIII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  429 

to  forgiveness  of  the  same  sin ;  but  by  and  by,  wittingly  and 
wittingly,  doth  the  self-same  sin  again  : — he  renovateth  by  so  He  that  re- 

i    •  ii ii  •  i  •   i       i      n         >•  P         ■  1-  tumethto 

(loimr  all    those   sins   winch   bciorctimes  were  iorgiven  mm.  sin  loseth 

°  °  t  his  former 

Which  thing  appcareth  by  the  lord,  that  took  reckoning  of  forgiveness. 
his  servants,  where  he  found  one  which  owed  him  a  great 
sum  of  money  :  the  lord  pitied  him,  and  remitted  him  all  the 
debts.  Now  that  same  man  afterward  shewed  himself  un- 
thankful and  wicked :  therefore  the  lord  called  him,  and  cast 
him  into  prison,  there  to  he  till  he  had  paid  the  uttermost 
farthing,  notwithstanding  that  he  had  forgiven  him  afore,  &c. 
So  we  see  the  guiltiness  of  the  former  sins  turn  again,  when 
we  do  the  same  sins  again.  Seeing  then  that  it  is  so  dan- 
gerous a  thing  to  fall  into  sin  again,  then  we  had  need  to 
have  some  remedy,  some  help,  that  we  might  avoid  sin,  and 
not  fall  thereto  again  :  therefore  here  folio weth  this  petition, 
"  Lead  us  not  into  temptation." 

Here  we  have  a  remedv,  here  we  desire  God  that  he  will  A  present 

u  '  help  to 

preserve  us  from  falling  into  sin.  Our  Saviour,  that  loving  J^f™^0111 
school-master,  knew  whereof  we  had  need;  therefore  he  teach-  untosm- 
eth  us  to  beg  a  preservation  of  God,  that  we  fall  not :  "  Lead 
us  not,  &c. ;"  that  is  to  say,  "Lord,  lead  us  not  into  trial, 
for  we  shall  soon  be  overcome,  but  preserve  us ;  suffer  us  not 
to  sin  again  ;  let  us  not  fall ;  help  us,  that  sin  get  not  the 
victory  over  us."  And  this  is  a  necessary  prayer  ;  for  what 
is  it  that  we  can  do  ?  Nothing  at  all  but  sin.  And  there- 
fore we  have  need  to  pray  unto  God,  that  ho  will  preserve 
and  keep  us  in  the  right  way  ;  for  our  enemy,  the  devil,  is 
an  unquiet  spirit,  ever  lying  in  the  way,  seeking  occasion 
how  to  bring  us  to  ungodliness.  Therefore  it  appeareth  how 
much  we  have  need  of  the  help  of  God  :  for  the  devil  is  an  The  devii  is 

ii  n  n  t>  •  iii  i  i      i  •     an  all(,iellt 

old  enemy,  a  fellow  ot  great  antiquity  ;   he  hath  endured  this  enemy. 
five  thousand  [five  hundred3]  and  fifty-two  years,  in  which 
space  he  hath  learned  all  arts  and  cunnings  ;  he  is  a  great 
practiser ;  there  is  no  subtilty  but  he  knoweth  the  same.    Like 
as  an  artificer  that  is  cunning  and  expert  in  his  craft,  and  know-  The  devii  is 
eth  how  to  go  to  work,  how  to  do  his  business  in  the  readiest  fleer, 
way ;  so  the  devil  knoweth  all  ways  how  to  tempt  us,  and  to 
give  us  an  overthrow ;   insomuch  that  we  can  begin  nor  do 
nothing,  but  he  is  at  our  heels,  and  worketh  some  mischief, 
whether  we  be  in  prosperity  or  adversity,  whether  we  be  in 
[3  See  before,  p.  365.] 


430 


THE    SEVENTH     SERMON 


health  or  sickness,  life  or  death  ;  he  knoweth  how  to  use  the 
same  to  his  purpose.  As  for  an  ensample :  When  a  man  is 
rich,  and  of  great  substance,  he  by  and  by  setteth  upon  him 
with  his  crafts,  intending  to  bring  him  to  mischief;  and  so 
he  moveth  him  to  despise  and  contemn  God,  to  make  his 
riches1  his  God.  Yea,  he  can  put  such  pride  into  the  rich 
man's  heart,  that  he  thinketh  himself  able  to  bring  all  things 
to  pass  ;  and  so2  beginneth  to  oppress  his  neighbour  with 
his  riches.  But  God,  by  his  holy  word,  warneth  us  and 
armeth  us  against  such  crafts  and  subtilties  of  the  devil, 
saying,  Divitice  si  affiuant,  nolite  cor  apponere ;  "  If  riches 
come  upon  you,  set  not  your  hearts  upon  them."  He 
commandeth  us  not  to  cast  them  away,  but  not  to  set  our 
hearts  upon  them,  as  wicked  men  do.  For  to  be  rich  is  a 
gift  of  God,  if  riches  be  rightly  used;  but  the  devil  is  so 
wily,  he  stirreth  up  rich  men's  hearts  to  abuse  them. 
Again,  when  a  man  falleth  into  poverty,  so  that  he  lacketh 
things  necessary  to  the  sustentation  of  this  bodily  life ; 
lo,  the  devil  is  even  ready  at  hand  to  take  occasion  by  the 
poverty  to  bring  him  to  mischief.  For  he  will  move  and 
stir  up  the  heart  of  man  that  is  in  poverty,  not  to  labour 
and  calling  upon  God,  but  rather  to  stealing  and  rob- 
bing, notwithstanding  God  forbiddeth  such  sins  in  his  laws  ; 
or  else,  at  the  least,  he  will  bring  him  to  use  deceit  and 
falsehood  with  his  neighbour,  intending  that  way  to  bring 
him  to  everlasting  destruction.  Further,  when  a  man  is  in 
honour  and  dignity,  and  in  great  estimation,  this  serpent 
sleepeth  not,  but  is  ready  to  give  him  an  overthrow.  For 
though  honour  be  good  unto  them  which  come  lawfully  by  it, 
and  though  it  be  a  gift  of  God ;  yet  the  devil  will  move  that 
man's  heart  which  hath  honour,  to  abuse  his  honour  :  for  he 
will  make  him  lofty,  and  high-minded,  and  fill  his  heart  full 
of  ambitions,  so  that  he  shall  have  a  desire  ever  to  come 
higher  and  higher  ;  and  all  those  which  will  withstand  him, 
they  shall  be  hated,  or  ill  entreated  at  his  hand :  and  at  the 
length  he  shall  be  so  poisoned  with  this  ambition,  that  he 
shall  forget  all  humanity  and  godliness,  and  consequently  fall 
in  the  fearful  hands  of  God.  Such  a  fellow  is  the  devil, 
that  old  doctor ! 

If  it  cometh  to  pass  that  a  man  fall  into  open  ignominy 
[i  make  riches,  1584.]  [2  so  he,  1584.] 


XXIII.]  ON     THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  431 

and  shame,  so  that  he  shall  be  nothing  regarded  before  the 
world  ;  then  the  devil  is  at  hand,  moving  and  stirring  his 
heart  to  irksomeness,  and  at  the  length  to  desperation.     If  he  Young  saints 

i  ii  -ii  •         i  •       i  i  °'tl  devils. 

be  young  and  lusty,  the  devil  will  put  in  his  heart,  and 
say  to  him :  "  What !  thou  art  in  thy  flowers,  man ;  take 
thy  pleasure  ;  make  merry  with  thy  companions  ;  remember 
the  old  proverb, '' Young  saints,  old  devils.'"     Which  proverb  a  proverb  or 

.  °  .  .  the  devil's 

in  very  deed  is  naught  and  deceitful,  and  the  devil's  own  in-  inventing, 
vention ;  which  would  have  parents  negligent  in  bringing  up 
their  children  in  goodness.  He  would  rather  see  them  to  be 
brought  up  in  illness  and  wickedness ;  therefore  he  found  out 
such  a  proverb,  to  make  them  careless  for  their  children. 
But,  as  I  said  afore,  this  proverb  is  naught :  for  look  com- 
monly, where  children  are  brought  up  in  wickedness,  they 
will  be  wicked  all  their  lives  after  ;  and  therefore  we  may 
say  thus,  "  Young  devil,  old  devil ;  young  saints,  old  saints." 
Quo  semel  est  imbuta  recens  servabit  odor  em  Testa  diu3;  "The 
earthen  pot  will  long  savour  of  that  liquor  that  is  first  put 
into  it."  And  here  appeareth,  how  the  devil  can  use  the 
youth  of  a  young  man  to  his  destruction,  in  exhorting  him  to 
follow  the  fond  lusts  of  that  age.  Likewise  when  a  man  Age. 
cometh  to  age,  that  old  serpent  will  not  leave  him;  but  is  ever 
stirring  him  from  one  mischief  unto  the  other,  from  one 
wickedness  to  another.     And  commonlv  he  moveth  old  folks  Thedevii's 

«  inspiration. 

to  avarice  and  covetousness  :  for  then  old  folk  will  commonly 
say,  by  the  inspiration  of  the  devil,  "  Now  it  is  time  for  me 
to  lay  up,  to  keep  in  store  somewhat  for  me,  that  I  may  have 
wherewith  to  live  when  I  shall  be  a  cripple."  And  so  under 
this  colour  they  set  all  their  hearts  and  minds  only  upon  this 
world ;  forgetting  their  poor  neighbour,  winch  God  would 
have  relieved  by  them.  But,  as  I  told  you  before,  this  is  the 
devil's  invention  and  subtilty,  which  blindeth  their  eyes  so, 
and  withdraweth  their  hearts  so  far  from  God,  that  it  is 
scant  possible  for  some  to  be  brought  again  :  for  they  have 
set  all  their  hearts  and  phantasies  in  such  wise  upon  their 
goods,  that  they  cannot  suffer  any  body  to  occupy  their 
goods,  nor  they  themselves  use  it  not ;  to  the  verifying  of 
this  common  sentence  :  Avarus  caret  quod  habet,  c&que  ac  The  nature 
quod  non  habet ;  "  The  covetous  man  lacketh  as  well  those  nesCs?vetous* 
things  which  he  hath,  as  those  things  which  he  hath  not." 
[3  Hor.  Epist.  ii.  2.  69.] 


432  THE    SEVENTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

So  likewise  when  we  be  in  health,  the  devil  moveth  us  to  all 

wickedness    and    naughtiness,    to    whoredom,  lechery,    theft, 

and  other  horrible  faults ;  putting  clean  out  of  our  mind  the 

remembrance  of  God  and  his  judgments,  insomuch  that  Ave 

sickness.      forget  that  we  shall  die.     Again,  when  we  be  hi  sickness, 

he  goeth  about  like  a  Hon  to  move  and  stir  us  up  to  impa- 

tiency  and  murmuring  against  God ;  or  else  he  maketh  our 

sins  so  horrible  before  us  that  we  fall  into  desperation.     And 

The  devii      bo    it    appeareth    that    there    is   nothing  either  so  high  or 

m'.'kVwea-    low,  so  great  or  small,  but  the  devil  can  use  that  self-same 

tiling.  thing  as  a  weapon  to  fight  against  us  withal,  like  as  with  a 

sword.     Therefore  our  Saviour,  knowing  the  crafts  and  sub- 

tilties  of  our  enemy  the  devil,  how  he  goeth  about  day  and 

night,  without  intermission,  to  seek  our  destruction,  tcacheth 

us  here  to  cry  unto  God  our  heavenly  Father  for  aid  and 

help,  for  a  subsidy  against  this  strong  and  mighty  enemy, 

against  the  prince  of  this  world,  as  St  Paul  disdained  not  to 

call  liim ;  for  he  knew  his  power  and  subtile  conveyances. 

Belike  St  Paul  had  some  experience  of  him. 

Here  by  this  petition,  when  we  say,  "  Lead  us  not  into 
temptation,"  we  learn  to  know  our  own  impossibility  and 
infirmity  ;  namely,  that  we  be  not  able  of  our  ownselves  to 
withstand  this  great  and  mighty  enemy,  the  devil.  Therefore 
hero  we  resort  to  God,  desiring  Mm  to  help  and  defend  us, 
whose  power  passeth  the  strength  of  the  devil.  So  it  ap- 
Thu  petition  peareth  that  this  is  a  most  needful  petition :  for  when  the 
fin.  "  devil  is  busy  about  us,  and  moveth  us  to  do  against  God,  and 
his  holy  laws  and  commandments,  ever  wo  should  have  hi 
remembrance  whither  to  go,  namely,  to  God ;  acknowledging 
our  weakness,  that  we  be  not  able  to  withstand  the  enemy. 
Therefore  we  ought  ever  to  say,  "  Our  Father,  which  art  in 
heaven,  lead  us  not  into  temptation." 

This  petition,  "  lead  us  not  into  temptation,"  the  meaning 
of  it  is :  "  Almighty  God,  we  desire  thy  holy  majesty  for  to 
stand  by  and  with  us,  with  thy  holy  Spirit ;  so  that  tempta- 
tion overcome  us  not,  but  that  we,  through  thy  goodness  and 
help,  may  vanquish  and  get  the  victory  over  it :  for  it  is  not 
in> 'witimut     in  our  power  to  do  it ;   thou,  0   God,  must  help  us  to  strive 

miist'I'ray6    and  fiffht."      It  is  with  tins  petition,  "  lead  us  not  into  temp- 
that  sin  reign 


notinus.and  tation,"   even  as   much   as  St  Paul  saith,  Ne  rennet  igitur 

have  not  '  .  . 

overu&tery  peccatum  in  vestro  mortali  corpore ;   "  Let  not  sin  reign  in 


xxin.]  on   the   lord's   PRAYER.  433 

your  corruptible  body."  saith  St  Paul.  He  doth  not  require 
that  we  shall  have  no  sin,  for  that  is  impossible  unto  us  ;  but 
he  requireth  that  we  be  not  servants  unto  sin  ;  that  we  give 
not  place  unto  it,  that  sin  rule  not  in  us.  And  this  is  a 
commandment :  we  are  commanded  to  forsake  and  hate  sin. 
so  that  it  may  have  no  power  over  us.  Now  we  shall  turn 
this  commandment  into  a  prayer,  and  desire  of  God  that  he 
will  keep  us,  that  he  will  not  lead  us  into  temptation ;  that  is 
to  say,  that  he  will  not  suffer  sin  to  have  the  rule  and  gover- 
nance over  us ;  and  so  we  shall  say  with  the  prophet,  Domine, 
dirige  gressus  meos,  "  Lord,  rule  and  govern  thou  me  in  the 
right  way."  And  so  we  shall  turn  God's  commandment  into 
a  prayer,  to  desire  of  him  help  to  do  his  will  and  pleasure : 
like  as  St  Augustine  saith,  Da  quod  jubes,  et  jube  quod  vis  ; 
"  Give  that  thou  commandest,  and  then  command  what  thou 
wilt."  As  who  say,  "  If  thou  wilt  command  only  and  not 
give,  then  we  shall  be  lost,  we  shall  perish."  Therefore  we 
must  desire  him  to  rule  and  govern  all  our  thoughts,  words, 
acts,  and  deeds,  so  that  no  sins  bear  rule '  in  us :  we  must 
require  him  to  put  his  helping  hand  to  us,  that  we  may 
overcome  temptation,  and  not  temptation  us.  This  I  would 
have  you  to  consider,  that  every  morning,  when  you  rise 
from  your  bed,  you  would  say  these  words  with  a  faithful 
heart  and  earnest  mind:  Domine,  gressus  meos  dirige,  ne  a  good  1 
dominetur  peccatum  in  meo  mortali  corpore;  "Lord,  rule 
and  govern  me  so,  order  my  ways  so,  that  sin  get  not  the 
victory  of  me,  that  sin  rule  me  not ;  but  let  thy  Holy  Ghost 
inhabit  my  heart."  And  specially  when  any  man  goeth 
about  a  dangerous  business,  let  him  ever  say,  Domine,  dirige 
gressus  meos,  "  Lord,  ride  thou  me;  keep  me  in  thy  custody." 
So  this  is  the  first  point,  which  you  shall  note  in  this  peti- 
tion, namely,  to  turn  the  commandments  of  God  into  a  prayer. 
He  commandeth  us  to  leave  sins,  to  avoid  them,  to  hate 
them,  to  keep  our  heart  clean  from  them :  then  let  us  turn 
his  commandment  into  a  prayer,  and  say,  "  Lord,  lead  us 
not  into  temptation ; "  that  is  to  say,  "Lord,  keep  us,  that 
the  devil  prevail  not  against  us,  that  wickedness  get  not  the 
victory  over  us." 

You  shall  not  think  that  it  is  an  ill  thing  to  be  tempted,  S^y 
to  fall  into  temptations.     No,  for  it  is  a  good  thing ;  and  tSamiat 
[!  no  sins  remain,  most  of  the  editions  except  1562.] 
r  -i  28 

[LATIMER.] 


in,;  pr.i 


434 


THE    SEVENTH    SERMON 


Temptations 
declare  God's 
favour. 


Self-love  is 
the  root  of 
mischief. 


The  life  of 
man  is  but 
a  warfare. 


scripture  commcndcth  it,  and  wc  shall  be  rewarded  for  it : 
for  St  James  saith,  Beatus  vir  qui  suffert  tentationem ; 
"  Blessed  is  that  man  that  suffereth  temptations  patiently." 
Blessed  is  he  that  suffereth;  not  he  that  followeth;  not  he 
that  is  led  by  them,  and  followeth  the  motions  thereof.  The 
devil  moveth  me  to  do  this  thing  and  that,  which  is  against 
God;  to  commit  whoredom  or  lechery,  or  such  like  things. 
Now  this  is  a  good  thing :  for  if  I  withstand  his  motions,  and 
more  regard  God  than  his  suggestions,  happy  am  I,  and  I 
shall  be  rewarded  for  it  in  heaven.  Some  think  that  St  Paul 
would  have  been  without  such  temptations,  but  God  would 
not  grant  his  request.  Sufficit  tibi  gratia  mea,  Paule;  "  Be 
content,  Paul,  to  have  my  favour."  For  temptations  be  a 
declaration  of  God's  favour  and  might:  for  though  we  be 
most  weak  and  feeble,  yet  through  our  weakness  God  van-, 
quisheth  the  great  strength  and  might  of  the  devil.  And 
afterward  he  promiseth  us  wc  shall  have  coronam  vitai,  "  tho 
crown  of  life ;"  that  is  to  say,  we  shall  be  rewarded  in  ever- 
lasting life.  To  whom  did  God  promise  coronam  vital,  ever- 
lasting life  ?  DUigentibus  se,  saith  St  James,  "  Unto  them 
that  love  him ;"  not  unto  them  that  love  themselves,  and  fol- 
low their  own  affections.  DUigentibus  se :  it  is  an  amphi- 
bologia1;  and  therefore  Erasmus  turneth  it  into  Latin  with 
such  words,  A  quibus  dilectus  est  Bern, — non,  diligentibus 
se2;  not,  "they  that  love  themselves,"  but,  "they  of  whom 
God  is  beloved :"  for  self-love  is  the  root  of  all  mischief  and 
wickedness. 

Here  you  may  perceive  who  are  those  which  love  God, 
namely,  they  that  fight  against  temptations  and  assaults  of 
the  devil.  For  this  life  is  a  warfare,  as  St  Job  saith :  Mi- 
litia est  vita  hominis  super  terram,  "  The  life  of  man  is  but 
a  warfare."  Not  that  we  should  fight  and  brawl  one  with 
another :  no,  not  so ;  but  we  should  fight  against  the  Je- 
busites  that   are  within   us.     We   may  not  fight  one  with 


[!  A  sentence  that  will  bear  a  double  meaning.] 
[2  Diligentibus  se  is  the  vulgate  translation  in  James  i.  12,  ii.  5, 
the  ambiguity  of  which  is  avoided  by  Erasmus  in  his  paraphrase  on 
the  latter  passage,  as  follows :  Quibus  autem  is  promisit  hanc  admi- 
rabilem  felicitatem?  num  rcgibus  aut  opulentis?  Nequaquam;  sed  iis 
a  quibus  vere  diligitur.  Erasmi  Paraphrasis  in  Epistolas  Apostolicas, 
Jacob,  ii.  5,  fol.  263,  Antwerp.  1540.] 


XXIII.]  OX    THE     LORD'S    PRAYER.  435 

another,  to  avenge  ourselves  and  to  satisfy  our   irefulness ; 

but  we  should  fight  against  the  ill  motions  which  rise  up  in  wemust 

our  hearts   against  the  law  of  God.      Therefore  remember  sin  ana  ""i 

TC        •  1  11  1       m0t'0ns- 

that  our  life  is  a  warfare :  let  us  be  contented  to  be  tempted. 
There  be  some,  when  they  fall  into  temptations,  they  be  so 
irksome  that  they  give  place,  they  will  fight  no  more.  Again, 
there  be  some  so  weary  that  they  rid  themselves  out  of  this 
life ;  but  this  is  not  well  done.  They  do  not  after  St  James's 
mind ;  for  he  saith,  "  Blessed  is  he  that  suffereth  temptation, 
and  taketh  it  patiently."  Now,  if  he  be  blessed  that  suffer- 
eth temptation,  then  it  followeth,  that  he  that  curseth  and 
murmureth  against  God,  being  tempted,  that  that  man  is 
cursed  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  so  shall  not  enjoy  coronam 
vitce,  "  everlasting  life." 

Further,  it  is  a  necessary  thing  to  be  tempted  of  God ;  ^XY our 
for  how  should  we  know  whether  we  have  the  love  of  God  Profit- 
in  our  hearts  or  no,  except  we  be  tried,  except  God  tempt 
and  prove  us?  Therefore  the  prophet  David  saith,  Proba 
me,  Domine,  et  tenta  me ;  "  Lord,  prove  me,  and  tempt  me."  Psai.  xxvi. 
This  prophet  knew  that  to  be  tempted  of  God  is  a  good 
thing :  for  temptations  minister  to  us  occasion  to  run  to  God, 
and  to  beg  his  help.  Therefore  David  was  desirous  to  have 
something  whereby  he  might  exercise  his  faith.  For  there 
is  nothing  so  dangerous  in  the  world  as  to  be  without  trouble, 
without  temptation.  For  look,  when  we  be  best  at  ease,  when 
all  things  go  with  us  according  unto  our  will  and  pleasure, 
then  we  are  commonly  most  farthest  off  from  God.  For  our 
nature  is  so  feeble,  that  we  cannot  bear  tranquillity ;  we  for- 
get God  by  and  by :  therefore  we  should  say,  Proba  me, 
"  Lord,  prove  me,  and  tempt  me." 

I  have  read  once  a  story  of  a  good  bishop3,  which  rode  An  history  of 

«    >  ©  *  a  bishop. 

by  the  way,  and  was  weary,  being  yet  far  off  from  any  town  : 
therefore  seeing  a  fair  house,  a  great  man's  house,  he  went 
thither,  and  was  very  well  and  honourably  received.  There 
was  great  preparations  made  for  him  and  a  great  banquet ; 
all  things  were  in  plenty.  Then  the  man  of  the  house  set 
out  his  prosperity,  and  told  the  bishop  what  riches  he  had ; 

[3  This  story,  in  substance,  is  related  in  the  legendary  life  of  St 
Ambrose  of  Milan,  as  having  occurred  to  that  prelate  on  a  journey 
to  Rome.  Legenda  Aurea,  LV.  Colon.  1485.  Petrus  de  Natalibus, 
Catalog.  Sanctorum,  Lib.  i.  c.  36.  Ed.  1521.] 

28—2 


436  THE    SEVENTH     SERMON  [sERM. 

in  what  honour  and  dignities  he  was ;  how  many  fair  chil- 
dren he  had ;  what  a  virtuous  wife  God  had  provided  for 
him ;  so  that  he  had  no  lack  of  any  manner  of  thing :  he 
had  no  trouble  nor  vexations,  neither  inward  nor  outward. 
Now  this  holy  man,  hearing  the  good  estate  of  that  man, 
called  one  of  his  servants,  and  commanded  him  to  make 
where  most  ready  the  horses;  for  the  bishop  thought  that  God  was  not 

rest  and  J f  1  o  > 

quietness  is,    m  that  house,   because  there  was  no  temptation  there:   he 

there  is  pre-  L 

sent  danger,  took  his  leave,  and  went  his  ways.  Now  when  he  came 
two  or  three  mile  off,  he  remembered  Ms  book  which  he  had 
left  behind  him  :  he  sent  his  man  back  again  to  fetch  that 
book ;  and  when  the  servant  came  again,  the  house  was 
sunken  and  all  that  was  in  it.  Here  it  appeareth  that  it  is 
a  good  thing  to  have  temptation.  This  man  thought  him- 
self a  jolly  fellow,  because  all  things  went  with  him  :  but  he 
knew  not  St  James's  lesson,  Beatus  qui  suffert  tentationem; 
"  Blessed  is  he  that  endureth  temptation."  Let  us  therefore 
learn  here,  not  to  be  irksome  when  God  layeth  his  cross 
upon  us.  Let  us  not  despair,  but  call  upon  him :  let  us 
think  we  be  ordained  unto  it.  For  truly  Ave  shall  never 
have  done ;  we  shall  have  one  vexation  or  other,  as  long  as 
we  be  in  this  world.  But  Ave  have  a  great  comfort,  winch 
is  this:  Fidelis  est  Deus,  qui  non  sinit  nos  tentari  supra 

ood'wfiinot  <luamforre  possumus;  "  God  is  faithful,  Avho  will  not  suffer 
us  to  be  tempted  above  our  strength.""  If  Ave  mistrust  God, 
then  we  make  him  a  liar :  for  God  will  not  suffer  us  to  be 
tempted  further  than  Ave  shall  be  able  to  bear.  And,  again, 
he  will  reward  us;  we  shall  have  coronam  vitce,  "everlasting 
life."  If  Ave  consider  this,  and  ponder  it  in  our  hearts,  where- 
fore should  we  be  troubled  ?  Let  every  man,  when  he  is  in 
trouble,  call  upon  God  with  a  faithful  and  penitent  heart, 
"  Lord,  let  me  not  be  tempted  further  than  thou  shalt  make 
me  able  to  bear."  And  this  is  the  office  of  every  christian 
man ;  and  look  for  no  better  cheer  as  long  as  thou  art  in 
this  world :  but  trouble  and  vexations  thou  shalt  have  usque 
ad  satietatem,  "  thy  belly  full."  And  therefore  our  Saviour, 
being  upon  the  mount  Olivet,  knowing  what  should  come 
upon  him,  and  Iioav  his  disciples  Avould  forsake  him,  and  mis- 
trust him,  taught  them  to  light  against  temptation,   saying, 

a  godly  ks     Via  Hate  et  orate.     As  who  sav,  '"  I  tell  you  what  you  shall 

son  to  avoid  "  v  *  «  » 

temptation.    Jq  .  rcsort  to  God,  seek  comfort  of  him,  call  upon  him  in  my 


suffer  us  to 
be  tempted 
above  that 
we  can  bear, 


We  shall 
never  lack 
temptations, 


xxiii.]  on   the  lord's  prayer.  437 

name ;  and  this  shall  ho  the  way  how  to  escape  temptations 
without  your  peril  and  loss."  Now  let  us  follow  that  rule 
which  our  Saviour  giveth  unto  his  disciples.  Let  us  "watch 
and  pray ;"  that  is  to  say,  let  us  be  earnest  and  fervent  in 
calling  upon  him,  and  in  desiring  his  help ;  and  no  doubt 
he  will  order  the  matter  so  with  us  that  temptation  shall  not 
hurt  us,  but  shall  be  rather  a  furtherance,  and  not  an  im- 
pediment to  everlasting  life.  And  this  is  our  only  remedy, 
to  fetch  help  at  his  hands.  Let  us  therefore  watch  and 
pray ;  let  not  temptations  bear  rule  in  us  or  govern  us. 

Now  peradventure  there  be  some  amongst  the  ignorant 
unlearned  sort,  which  will  say  unto  me,  "  You  speak  much 
of  temptations  ;  I  pray  you  tell  us,  how  shall  we  know  when 
we  be  tempted?"  Answer:  When  you  feel  in  yourselves, 
in  your  hearts,  some  concupiscence  or  lust  towards  any  thing 
that  is  against  the  law  of  God  rise  up  in  your  hearts,  that 
same  is  a  tempting  :  for  all  manner  of  ill  motions  to  wicked-  what  temp 
ness  are  temptations.  And  we  be  tempted  most  commonly 
two  manner  of  ways,  a  dextris  et  a  sinistris,  "  on  the  two  manne 
right  hand,  and  on  the  left  hand."  Whensoever  we  be  in  tions- 
honours,  wealth,  and  prosperities,  then  we  be  tempted  on 
the  right  hand :  but  when  we  be  in  open  shame,  out-laws, 
or  in  great  extreme  poverty  and  penuries,  then  that  is  on 
the  left  hand.  There  hath  been  many,  that  when  they  have 
been  tempted  a  sinistris,  "  on  the  left  hand,"  that  is,  with 
adversities  and  all  kind  of  miseries,  they  have  been  hardy 
and  most  godly ;  have  suffered  such  calamities,  giving  God 
thanks  amidst  all  their  troubles :  and  there  hath  been  many 
which  have  written  most  godly  books  in  the  time  of  their 
temptations  and  miseries.  Some  also  there  were  which  stood 
heartily,  and  godlily  suffered  temptations,  as  long  as  they 
were  in  trouble  :  but  afterward,  when   they  came   to   rest, 

they  could  not  stand  so  well  as  before  in  their  trouble :  yea,  would  God 
i  .       this  were 

the  most  part  s;o  and  take  out  a  new  lesson  of  discretion,  printed™ 

r  o  _  'all  men  s 

to  flatter  themselves  and  the  world  withal ;  and  so  they hearts- 
verify  that  saying,  Honores  mutant  mores,  "  Honours  change 
manners.'1  For  they  can  find  in  their  hearts  to  approve  that 
thing  now,  which  before  time  they  reproved.  Aforetime  they 
sought  the  honour  of  God,  now  they  seek  their  own  pleasure. 
Like  as  the  rich  man  did,  saying,  Anima,  nunc  ede,  bibe,  fyc, 
"Soul,  now  eat,  drink,11  &c.     But  it  followeth,  Stulte,  "Thou 


438 


THE    SEVENTH    SERMON 


[sERM. 


God  and  the 
devil  do 
tempt  to 
divers  ends. 


The  devil's 
power  is 
nothing 
without 
God's  per- 
mission. 


fool."  Therefore,  let  men  beware  of  the  right  hand  ;  for  they 
are  gone  by  and  by,  except  God  with  his  Spirit  illuminate 
their  hearts.  I  would  such  men  would  begin  to  say  with 
David,  Proba  me,  Domine,  "  Lord,  prove  me :  spur  me  for- 
ward ;  send  me  somewhat,  that  I  forget  not  thee ! "  So  it 
appeareth  that  a  christian  man's  life  is  a  strife,  a  warfare : 
but  we  shall  overcome  all  our  enemies ;  yet  not  by  our  own 
power,  but  through  God  which  is  able  to  defend  us. 

Truth  it  is  that  God  tempteth.  Almighty  God  tempteth 
to  our  commodities,  to  do  us  good  withal ;  the  devil  tempteth 
to  our  everlasting  destruction.  God  tempteth  us  for  exercise' 
sake,  that  we  should  not  be  slothful ;  therefore  he  proveth  us 
diversely.  We  had  need  often  to  say  this  prayer,  "  Lord, 
lead  us  not  into  temptation."  When  we  rise  up  in  a  morning, 
or  whatsoever  we  do,  when  we  feel  the  devil  busy  about  us, 
we  should  call  upon  God.  The  diligence  of  the  devil  should 
make  us  watchful,  when  we  consider  with  what  earnest  mind 
he  applieth  his  business :  for  he  sleepeth  not,  he  slumbereth 
not ;  he  mindeth  his  own  business,  he  is  careful,  and  hath 
mind  of  his  matters.  To  what  end  is  he  so  diligent,  seeking 
and  searching  like  a  hunter?  Even1,  to  take  us  at  a  vantage. 
St  Peter  calleth  him  a  roaring  lion,  whereby  is  expressed  his 
power :  for  you  know,  the  lion  is  the  prince  of  all  other 
beasts.  Circumit,  "  He  goeth  about."  Here  is  his  diligence. 
Non  est  potestas,  &c.  "  There  is  no  power  to  be  likened 
unto  his  power :"  yet  our  hope  is  in  God ;  for,  as  strong  as 
he  is,  our  hope  is  in  God.  He  cannot  hurt  or  slay  us  without 
the  permission  of  God :  therefore  let  us  resort  unto  God,  and 
desire  him  that  he  will  enable  us  to  fight  against  him.  Fur- 
ther, his  wiliness  is  expressed  by  this  word  "  serpent."  Ho 
is  of  a  swift  nature;  he  hath  such  compasses,  such  fetches, 
that  he  passeth  all  things  in  the  world.  Again,  consider  how 
long  he  hath  been  a  practitioner.  You  must  consider  what 
Satan  is,  what  experience  he  hath ;  so  that  we  are  not  able 
to  match  with  him.  0,  how  fervently  ought  we  to  cry  unto 
God,  considering  what  danger  and  peril  we  be  in !  And  not 
only  for  ourselves  we  ought  to  pray,  but  also  for  all  others ; 
for  Ave  ought  to  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves. 

Seeing  then  that  we  have  such  an  enemy,  resist;  for  so  it 
is  needful.  For  I  think  that  now  in  this  hall,  amongst  this 
[l  marry,  15G2.] 


xxiii.]  on  the  lord's  pkayer.  439 

audience,  there  be  many  thousand  devils,  which  g o  about  to  our  enemies 

J  °  are  many. 

let  us  of  the  hearing  of  the  word  of  God ;  to  make  hardness 
in  our  hearts,  and  to  stir  up  such  like  mischief  within  us. 
But  what  remedy  ?  Resistite,  "  Withstand  ;"  withstand  his 
motions.  And  this  must  bo  done  at  the  first.  For,  as  strong 
as  he  is,  when  he  is  resisted  at  the  first,  he  is  the  weakest ; 
but  if  we  suffer  him  to  come  into  our  hearts,  then  he  cannot 
be  driven  out  without  great  labour  and  travail.  As  for  an 
cnsample :  I  see  a  fair  woman,  I  like  her  very  well,  I  wish 
in  my  heart  to  have  her.  Now  withstand ;  this  is  a  tempta- 
tion. Shall  I  follow  my  affections  ?  No,  no  :  call  to  remem- 
brance what  the  devil  is  ;  call  God  to  remembrance  and  his 
laws ;  consider  what  he  hath  commanded  thee :  say  unto 
God,  "  Lord,  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from 
evil."  For  I  tell  thee,  when  he  is  entered  once,  it  will  be 
hard  to  get  him  out  again.  Therefore  suffer  him  not  too 
long :  give  him  no  mansion  in  thy  heart,  but  strike  him  with 
the  word  of  God,  and  he  is  gone;  he  will  not  abide.  Another 
ensample  :  There  is  a  man  that  hath  done  me  wrong;  taken  How  to  use 

1  °  .    the  sword  of 

away  my  living,  or  hurt  mo  of  my  good  name :  the  devil the  sPirit- 
stirreth  me  against  him,  to  requite  him,  to  do  him  another 
foul  turn,  to  avenge  myself  upon  him.  Now,  when  there 
riseth  up  such  motions  in  my  heart,  I  must  resist ;  I  must 
strive.  I  must  consider  what  God  saith,  Mihi  vindicta,  "Let 
me  have  the  vengeance :"  Ego  retribuam,  "  I  will  punish 
him  for  his  ill  doings." 

In .  such  wise  we  must  fight  with  Satan ;  we  must  kill  The  devii 
him  with  the  word  of  God:  Resistite,  "Withstand  and  resist."  killed- 
"  Away  thou,  Satan ;  thou  movest  me  to  that  which  God  for- 
biddeth ;  God  will  defend  me :  I  will  not  speak  ill  of  my 
neighbour ;  I  will  do  him  no  harm."  So  you  must  fight  with 
him;  and  further  remember  what  St  Paul  saith,  "If  thy 
enemy  be  hungry,  let  him  have  meat :"  this  is  the  shrewd 
turn  that  scripture  alloweth  us  to  do  to  our  enemies ;  and  so 
we  shall  "  cast  hot  coals  upon  his  head ;"  which  is  a  meta- 
phorical speech.  That  ye  may  understand  it,  take  an  ensam- 
ple.   This  man  hath  done  harm  unto  thee :  make  him  warm  Leam  to 

•  til  n  i  •         i  i         •     •       •  i  i  heayi  coals  on 

with  thy  benefits ;   bear  patiently  the  injuries  done  unto  thee  thineenemys 
by  him,  and  do  for  him  in  his  necessities :  then  thou  shalt 
heat  him  ;  for  he  is  in  coldness  of  charity.     At  the  length  he 
shall  remember  himself,  and  say,  "  What  a  man  am  I !  This 


440  THE    SEVENTH    SERMON  [sEKM. 

man  hath  ever  been  friendly  and  good  unto  me;  he  hath 
borne  patiently  all  my  wickedness ;  truly  I  am  much  bound 
unto  him :  I  will  leave  off  from  my  wrong  doings,  I  will  no 
more  trouble  him."  And  so  you  see  that  this  is  the  way  to 
make  our  enemy  good,  to  bring  him  to  reformation.  But 
there  be  some,  that  when  they  be  hurt,  they  will  do  a  foul 
turn  again.  But  this  is  not  as  God  would  have  it.  St  Paul 
commandeth  us  to  "  pour  hot  coals  upon  our  enemy's  head ;" 
that  is  to  say,  if  he  hurt  thee,  do  him  good,  make  him  amends 
with  well-doing;  give  him  meat  and  drink,  whereby  is  under- 
stood all  things :  when  he  hath  need  of  counsel,  help  him ; 
or  whatsoever  it  is  that  he  hath  need  of,  let  him  have  it. 
And  this  is  the  right  way  to  reform  our  enemy,  to  amend 
him,  and  bring  him  to  goodness ;  for  so  St  Paul  commandeth 
us,   saying,   Noli  vinci  a  mala,   "  Be  not  overcome  of  the 

I'rii'.'.Vii  'Is"     wicked."    For  when  I  am  about  to  do  my  enemy  a  foul  turn, 

overcome,  £ncn  he  hath  gotten  the  victory  over  me ;  he  hath  made  me 
as  wicked  as  he  himself  is.  But  we  ought  to  overcome  the 
ill  with  goodness ;  we  should  overcome  our  enemy  with  well- 
doing. 

When  I  was  in  Cambridge,  Master  George  Stafford1  read 
a  lecture,  there  I  heard  him ;  and  in  expounding  the  epistle 
to  the  Romans,  coming  to  that  place  where  St  Paul  saith, 

Hom.  xii.  that  "  we  shall  overcome  our  enemy  with  well-doing,  and  so 
heap  up  hot  coals  upon  his  head;"  now  in  expounding  of  that 
place,  he  brought  in  an  ensample,   saying,  that  he  knew  in 

if  Londoner0' London  a  great  rich  merchant2,  which  merchant  had  a  very 
poor  neighbour ;  yet  for  all  his  poverty,  he  loved  him  very 
well,  and  lent  him  money  at  his  need,  and  let  him  to  come  to 
his  table  whensoever  he  would.      It  was  even  at  that  time 

rhetor  coict  when  Doctor  Colet3  was  in  trouble,  and  should  have  been 

Should  nave 

been  burned,  burnt,  if  God  had  not  turned  the  king's  heart  to  the  contrary. 
i!!".,'  \„,  N°w  the  rich  man  began  to  be  a  scripture  man;  he  began  to 
Mm',!"'!uirpy  smeU  the  gospel:  the  poor  man  was  a  papist  still.  It  chanced 
on  a  time,  when  the  rich  man  talked  of  the  gospel,  sitting  at 
his  table,  where  he  reproved  popery  and  such  kind  of  things, 

[!  The  Lady  Margaret's  Reader  in  Divinity :  he  died  in  1530.] 
[2  Humphry  Monmouth.     Foxe,  Acts  and  Mon.  "Vol.  n.  p.  209 — 10, 
edit.   1084.] 

[3  Dr  John  Colet,  Dean  of  St  Paul's.     Wordsworth,  Eccles.  Bio- 
graphy. Vol.  r.  pp.  450  et  seq.  3rd  edit.] 


melon. 


XXIII.]  ON    THE    LORD^    PRAYER.  441 

the  poor  man,  being  then  present,  took  a  great  displeasure 
against  the  rich  man ;  insomuch  that  he  would  come  no  more 
to  his  house,  he  would  borrow  no  money4  of  him,  as  he  was 
wont  to  do  before-times ;   yea,  and  conceived  such  hatred  and  Note  the  ■,. •.-, 

«  t  of  ;i  papist 

malice  against  him,  that  he  went  and  accused  him  before  the 
bishops.  Now  the  rich  man,  not  knowing  any  such  displea- 
sure, offered  many  times  to  talk  with  him,  and  to  set  him  at 
quiet;  but  it  would  not  be:  the  poor  man  had  such  a  stomach, 
that  ho  would  not  vouchsafe  to  speak  with  him ;  if  he  met 
the  rich  man  in  the  street,  he  would  go  out  of  his  way.  One 
time  it  happened  that  he  met  him  so  in  a  narrow  street,  that 
he  could  not  avoid  but  come  near  him ;  yet  for  all  that,  this 
poor  man  had  such  a  stomach  against  the  rich  man,  I  say, 
that  he  was  minded  to  go  forward,  and  not  to  speak  with 
him.  The  rich  man  perceiving  that,  catcheth  him  by  the 
hand,  and  asked  him,  saying  :  "  Neighbour,  what  is  come  into 
your  heart,  to  take  such  displeasure  with  me  ?  What  have 
I  done  against  you?  Tell  me,  and  I  will  be  ready  at  all 
times  to  make  you  amends.'1  Finally,  he  spake  so  gently,  so 
charitably,  so  lovingly,  and  friendly,  that  it  wrought  so  in 
the  poor  man's  heart,  that  by  and  by  he  fell  down  upon  his 
knees  and  asked  him  forgiveness.  The  rich  man  forgave 
him,  and  so  took  him  again  to  bis  favour ;  and  they  loved  as 
well  as  ever  they  did  afore.  Many  one  would  have  said, 
"  Set  him  in  the  stocks ;  let  him  have  bread  of  affliction,  and 
water  of  tribulation."  But  this  man  did  not  so.  And  here 
you  see  an  ensample  of  the  practice  of  God's  words  in  such 
sort,  that  the  poor  man,  bearing  great  hatred  and  malice 
against  the  rich  man,  was  brought,  through  the  lenity  and 
meekness  of  the  rich  man,  from  his  error  and  wickedness  to 
the  knowledge  of  God's  word.  I  would  you  would  consider 
this  ensample  well,  and  follow  it. 

"  Lead  us  not  into  temptation."    Certain  it  is  that  custom-  ^custom- 
able sinners  have  but  small  temptations  :  for  the  devil  letteth  miiii|,raiitl 

*  _      tempted. 

them  alone,  because  they  be  his  already ;  he  hath  them  in 
bondage,  they  be  his  slaves.  But  when  there  is  any  good 
man  abroad,  that  intendeth  to  leave  sin  and  wickedness,  and 
abhorreth  the  same,  the  man  shall  be  tempted.  The  devil 
goeth  about  to  use  all  means  to  destroy  that  man,  and  to  let 
him  of  his  forwardness.  Therefore  all  those  which  have  such 
['  no  more  money.  1584.] 


442  THE    SEVENTH    SERMON  [sERM. 

temptations,  resort  hither  for  aid  and  help,  and  withstand 
betimes :  for  I  tell  thee,  if  thou  withstandest  and  tightest 
against  him  betimes,  certainly  thou  shalt  find  him  most  weak; 
but  if  thou  sufferest  him  to  enter  into  thy  heart,  and  hast  a 
delight  in  his  motions,  tunc  actum  est,  then  thou  art  undone; 
then  he  hath  gotten  the  victory  over  thee.  And  here  it  is  to 
be  noted,  that  the  devil  hath  no  further  power  than  God  will 
allow  him ;  the  devil  can  go  no  further  than  God  permitteth 
him  to  do :  which  thing  shall  strengthen  our  faith,  insomuch 
that  we  shall  bo  sure  to  overcome  him. 

The  desire  St   Paul,  that   excellent  instrument  of  God,  saith,    Qui 

dangerous?  volunt  ditescere,  incident  in  multas  tentationes ;  "  They  that 
go  about  to  get  riches,  they  shall  fall  in  many  temptations :" 
in  which  words  St  Paul  doth  teach  us  to  beware.  For  when 
we  go  about  to  set  our  minds  upon  this  world,  upon  riches, 
then  the  devil  will  have  a  fling  at  us.  Therefore,  let  us  not 
set  our  hearts  upon  the  riches  of  this  world,  but  rather  let 
us  labour  for  our  living ;  and  then  let  us  use  prayer :  then 
we  may  be  certain  of  our  living.  Though  wo  have  not 
riches,  yet  a  man  may  live  without  great  riches :  Habentes 

nim.vi.  victuni  et  vestitum,  &c,  "When  we  have  meat,  and  drink, 
and  clothing,  let  us  be  content,"  let  us  not  gape  for  riches ; 
for  I  tell  you  it  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  have  riches.  And 
they  that  have  riches  must  make  a  great  account  for  them : 
yea,  and  the  most  part  of  the  rich  men  use  their  riches  so 
naughtily  and  so  wickedly,  that  they  shall  not  be  able  to 
make  an  account  for  them.  And  so  you  may  perceive  how 
the  devil  useth  the  good  creatures  of  God  to  our  own  de- 
struction :  for  riches  are  good  creatures  of  God,  but  you  see 
daily  how  men  abuse  them ;  how  they  set  their  hearts  upon 
them,  forgetting  God  and  their  own  salvation.  Therefore, 
as  I  said  before,  let  not  this  affection  take  place  in  your 
hearts,  to  be  rich.  Labour  for  thy  living,  and  pray  to  God, 
then  he  will  send  thee  things  necessary :  though  he  send  not 
great  riches,  yet  thou  must  be  content  withal ;  for  it  is  better 
to  have  a  sufficient  living  than  to  have  great  riches.      There- 

Prov.  xxx.  fore  Salomon,  that  wise  king,  desired  of  God  that  he  would 
send  him  neither  too  much,  nor  too  little :  not  too  much, 
lest  he  should  fall  into  proudness,  and  so  despise  God ;  not 
too  little,  lest  he  should  fall  to  stealing,  and  so  transgress 
the  law  of  God. 


XXIII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  443 

Sed   libera  nos  a  malo :   "But  deliver  us  from  evil."  Thedev;ns 
This  evil,  the  writers  take  it  for  the  devil ;  lor  the  devil  is  instrument 

of  all  evil. 

the  instrument  of  all  ill;  like  as  God  is  the  fountain  of  all 
goodness,  so  the  devil  is  the  original  root  of  all  wickedness. 
Therefore  when  we  say,  "  deliver  us  from  evil,"  we  desire 
God  that  he  will .  deliver  us  from  the  devil  and  all  his  crafts, 
subtilties,  and  inventions,  wherewith  he  intendeth  to  hurt  us. 
And  we  of  our  ownselves  know  not  what  might  let  or  stop  us 
from  everlasting  life  :  thereforo  we  desire  him  that  he  will 
deliver  us  from  all  ill ;  that  is  to  say,  that  he  will  send  us 
nothing  that  might  be  a  let  or  impediment  unto  us,  or  keep 
us  from  everlasting  felicity.  As  for  ensample :  There  be  An  example. 
many  which  when  they  be  sick,  they  desire  of  God  to  have 
their  health ;  for  they  think  if  they  might  have  their  health 
they  would  do  much  good,  they  would  live  godly  and  up- 
rightly. Now  God  sendeth  them  their  health ;  but  they  by 
and  by  forget  all  their  promises  made  unto  God  before,  and 
fall  unto  all  wickedness,  and  horrible  sins :  so  that  it  had 
been  a  thousand  times  better  for  them  to  have  been  sick  still, 
than  to  have  their  health.  For  when  they  were  in  sickness 
and  affliction,  they  called  upon  God,  they  feared  him ;  but 
now  they  care  not  for  him,  they  despise  and  mock  him. 
Now  therefore,  lest  any  such  thing  should  happen  unto  us, 
we  desire  him  "  to  deliver  us  from  evil ;"  that  is  to  say,  to 
send  us  such  things  which  may  be  a  furtherance  unto  us  to 
eternal  felicity,  and  take  away  those  things  which  might 
lead  us  from  the  same.  There  be  some,  which  think  it  is  a 
gay  thing  to  avoid  poverty,  to  be  in  wealth,   and  to   live  to  uve  piea- 

ii  .  J  i  ,  ,.„    santlyis 

pleasantly :  yet  sometimes  we  see  that  such  an  easy  hie  dangerous. 
giveth  us  occasion  to  commit  all  wickedness,  and  so  is  an 
instrument  of  our  damnation.  Now  therefore,  when  we  say 
this  prayer,  we  require  God,  that  ho  will  bo  our  loving 
Father,  and  give  us  such  things  which  may  be  a  furtherance 
to  our  salvation ;  and  take  away  those  things  which  may 
let  us  from  the  same. 

Now  you  have  heard  the  Lord's  Prayer,  which  is,  as  I 
told  you,  the  abridgment  of  all  other  prayers,  and  it  is  the  The  Lord-s 
store-house  of  God.     For  here  we  shall  find  all  things  neccs-  Go^fstore- 
sary  both  for  our  souls  and  bodies.  Therefore  I  desire  you  most house' 


u± 


THE     SKVKXTH     .SEIIMOX 


Note  this 
reason,  and 
be  not  of- 
fended at 
them  that 
use  to  end 
the  Lord's 
prayer  so. 


Kings  an 
hill  i ';  | 
deputies. 


heartily  to  resort  hither  to  this,  store-house  of  God :  seek  here 
what  you  lack ;  and  no  doubt  you  shall  find  things  necessary 
for  your  wealth. 

In  the  gospel  of  Matthew  there  be  added  these  words  : 
Quia  tuum  est  regnum,  et  potentia,  et  gloria,  in  secula 
seculorum ;  "  For  thine  is  the  kingdom,  the  power,  and 
the  glory,  world  without  end.  Amen."  These  words  are 
added  not  without  cause ;  for  like  as  we  say  in  the  be- 
ginning, "  Our  Father,"  signifying  that  he  will  fulfil  our 
request,  so  at  the  end  we  conclude,  saying,  "  Thine  is  the 
power,  &c."  signifying,  that  he  is  able  to  help  us  in  our 
distress,  and  to  grant  our  requests.  And  though  these  be 
great  tilings,  yet  we  need  not  to  despair ;  but  consider  that 
he  is  Lord  over  heaven  and  earth,  that  he  is  able  to  do  for 
us,  and  that  he  will  do  so,  being  our  Father  and  being- 
Lord1  and  "  king  over  all  things.  Therefore  let  us  often 
resort  hither,  and  call  upon  him  with  this  prayer,  in  our 
Christ's  name :  for  he  loveth  Christ,  and  all  those  which  are 
in  Christ;  for  so  he  saith,  Hie  est  Films  mens  dilectus,  in 
quo  mini  bene  complacitum  est ;  "  This  is  my  well-beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  have  pleasure."  Seeing  then  that  God 
hath  pleasure  in  him,  ho  hath  pleasure  in  the  prayer  that 
he  hath  made :  and  so  when  we  say  this  prayer  in  his  name, 
with  a  faithful  penitent  heart,  it  is  not  possible  but  he  will 
hear  us,  and  grant  our  requests.  And  truly  it  is  the  great- 
est comfort  in  the  world  to  talk  with  God,  and  to  call  upon 
him,  in  this  prayer  that  Christ  himself  hath  taught  us ;  for 
it  taketh  away  the  bitterness  of  all  afflictions.  Through 
prayer  we  receive  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  strengthened  and 
comforteth  us  at  all  times,  in  all  trouble  and  peril. 

Quia  tuum  est  regnum,  et  potentia,  et  gloria ;  "  For 
thine  is  the  kingdom,  the  power,  and  the  glory."  The  king- 
dom of  God  is  general  throughout  all  the  world;  heaven 
and  earth  are  under  his  dominion.  As  for  the  other  kings, 
they  are  kings  indeed,  but  to  God-ward  they  be  but  deputies, 
but  officers.  He  only  is  the  right  king  ;  unto  him  only  must 
and  shall  all  creatures  in  heaven  and  earth  obey,  and  kneel 
before  his  majesty.  Therefore  have  this  ever  in  your  hearts, 
what  trouble  and  calamities  soever  shall  fall  upon  you  for 
[!  being  our  Lord,  1584.] 


XXIII.]  ON    THE    LORD'S    PRAYER.  44.") 

God's  word's  sake.  If  you  be  put  in  prison,  or  lose  your 
goods,  ever  say  in  your  hearts,  Tuum  est  regnum;  "Lord 
God,  thou  only  art  ruler  and  governor ;  thou  only  canst  and 
wilt  help  and  deliver  us  from  all  trouble,  when  it  pleaseth 
thee ;  for  thou  art  the  king  to  whom  all  things  obey."  For. 
as  I  said  before,  all  the  other  kings  reign  by  him,  and 
through  him,  as-  scripture  witnesseth  ;  Per  me  reges  regnant,  pr0v.  vin. 
"  Through  me  kings  rule."  To  say  tins  prayer  with  good 
faith  and  penitent  heart  is  a  sacrificium  laiidis,  "a  sacri- 
fice of  thanksgiving."  We  were  wont  to  have  Sacrificium,  The  s* 
missce,  "  The  sacrifice  of  the  mass  ;"  which  was  the  most 
horrible  blasphemy  that  could  be  devised,  for  it  was  against 
the  dignity  of  Christ  and  his  passion ;  but  this  sacrifice  of 
thanksgiving  every  one  may  make,  that  calleth  with  a 
faithful  heart  upon   God  in  the  name  of  Christ. 

Therefore  let  us  at  all  times,  without  intermission,  offer 
unto  God  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving ;  that  is  to  say,  let  us 
at  all  times  call  upon  him,  and  glorify  his  name  in  all  our 
livings.  When  we  go  to  bed-ward,  let  us  call  upon  him  ; 
when  we  rise,  let  us  do  likewise.  Item,  when  we  go  to  our 
meat  and  drink,  let  us  not  go  unto  it  like  swine  and  beasts; 
but  let  us  remember  God,  and  be  thankful  unto  him  for  all 
his  gifts.  But  above  all  things  we  must  see  that  we  have  a 
penitent  heart,  else  it  is  to  no  purpose :  for  it  is  written,  Non 
est  speciosa  laus  in  ore  peccatoris;  "  God  will  not  be  praised  Eccius  xv. 
of  a  wicked  man."  Therefore  let  us  repent  from  the  bottom 
of  our  hearts ;  let  us  forsake  all  wickedness,  so  that  we  may 
say  this  prayer  to  the  honour  of  God,  and  our  own  com- 
modities. 

And,  as  I  told  you  before,  we  may  say  this  prayer  we  may  say 
whole  or  by  parts,  according  as  we  shall  see  occasion.  For  by^twtfparts. 
when  we  see  God's  name  blasphemed,  we  may  say,  "  Our 
Father,  hallowed  be  thy  name :"  when  we  sec  the  devil  rule. 
we  may  say,  "Our  Father,  thy  kingdom  come :"  when  we 
see  the  Avorld  inclined  to  wickedness,  we  may  say,  "  Our 
Father,  thy  will  be  done."  Item,  when  we  lack  necessary 
things,  either  for  our  bodies  or  souls,  we  may  say,  "  Our 
Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread."  Item,  when  I  feel  my  sins,  and  they  trouble  and 
grieve  me,  then  I  may  say,  "  Our  Father,  which  art  in 
heaven,  forgive  us  our  trespasses."     Finally,  when  we  will 


446  THE    SEVENTH    SERMON,    &C.  [sERM. 

be  preserved  from  all  temptations,  that  they  shall  not  have 
the  victory  over  us,  nor  that  the  devil  shall  not  devour  us, 
we  may  say,  "  Our  Father,  Avhich  art  in  heaven,  lead  us  not 
into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil ;  for  thine  is  the 
kingdom,  the  power,  and  the  glory,  for  ever  and  ever,  world 
without  end."     Amen. 

Here  endeth  the  Sermons  upon  the  Lord^  Prayer,  made 
by  the  right  reverend  Father  in  God,  Master  Doctor  Latimer, 
before  the  right  virtuous  and  honourable  lady  Katharine 
Duchess  of  Suffolk,  at  Grymsthorpe,  the  year  of  our  Lord 
1552. 

Excerptai  per  me,  Augustinum  Bernerum} ,  Helvetium2. 

\}  Augustino  Bemhere  had  been  Latimer's  servant,  and  was  after- 
wards "a  faithful  minister  in  Christ's  church."  Several  letters  to 
and  from  him  will  be  found  in  Bishop  Ridley's  correspondence,  pp. 
372,  &c] 

[2  "Here  endeth  the  vij.  Sermons  upon  the  Lordes  Prayer,"  the 
editions  after  1562.] 


A  SERMON3  PREACHED  BY  M.  HUGH  LATIMER,  AT  GRIMS- 
THORPE,  OCTOBER  28,  1552. 

[JOHN  XV.  12.] 

Hcec  mando  vobis  ut  diligatis  invicem. 

Seeing  the  time  is  so  far  spent,  we  will  take  no  more  in 
hand  at  this  time  but  this  one  sentence :  Hcec  mando  vobis 
ut  diligatis  vos  invicem  :  for  it  shall  be  enough  for  us  to 
consider  this  well,  and  to  bear  it  away  with  us.  "This  Ijoimxv. 
command  unto  you,  that  ye  love  one  another."  Our  Saviour 
himself  spake  these  words  at  his  last  supper,  before  he  was 
taken.  It  was  his  last  sermon  that  he  made  unto  his  disci- 
ples, before  his  departure :  it  is  a  very  long  sermon.  For 
our  Saviour  doth  like  as  one  that  knoweth  he  shall  die 
shortly ;  therefore  is  desirous  to  spend  that  little  time  that 
he  hath  with  his  friends  in  exhorting  and  instructing  them 
how  they  shall  lead  their  lives.  Now  among  other  things 
that  he  commanded  us  this  was  one :  Hcec  mando  vobis 
ut  diligatis  vos  invicem ;  "  This  I  command  unto  you,  that  Christ's  com- 
ye  love  one  another."  My  translation  hath,  Hcec  mando  his  aisles.0 
vobis,  the  plural  number :  the  English  goeth  as  though  it 
singularly  were  but  one ;  "  This  is  my  commandment."  I 
examined  the  Greek,  where  it  is  in  the  plural  number,  and 
very  well :  for  there  be  many  things  that  pertain  to  a 
christian  man,  and  yet  all  those  things  are  contained  in  this 
one  tiling,  that  is,  love ;  he  lappeth  up  all  things  in  love.  Love. 
Our  whole  duty  is  contained  in  these  words,  "  Love  together." 
Therefore  St  Paul  saith,  "  He  that  loveth  another  fulnlleth 
the  law  :"  so  it  appeareth  that  all  things  are  contained  in 

[3  This,  and  eleven  other  sermons  which  will  form  part  of  a  future 
volume,  were  comprised  in  a  collection  with  the  following  title: 
"  Sermons  preached  by  the  Right  Reuerend  Father  in  God,  and  con- 
stant Martyr  of  Jesus  Christ,  M.  Hugh  Latimer,  the  wxviii.  of  Octob. 
An.  1552.  Faithfully  gathered  to  the  profite  of  the  Christian  Reader 
by  Augustine  Bemher  hys  seruaunt,  not  heretofore  published  in 
print... At  London,  Printed  by  Iohn  Daye,  dwelling  ouer  Aldersgate. 
1571."  The  date  given  above  will  account  for  the  insertion  of  the 
Sermon  in  this  place.] 


448  SERMON     ON    THE    GOSPEL  [sERM. 

this  word  "  love."  This  love  is  a  precious  thing :  our  Sa- 
viour saith,  In  hoc  cognoscent  omnes  quia  discipuli  mei 
estis,  si  dilectionem  habueritis  ad  invicem;  "  By  this  shall 
all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  shall  have  love 
christians  one  to  another."  So  that  he  maketh  love  his  cognizance, 
iovT  his  badge,  his  livery.     Like  as  every  lord,   most  commonly, 

giveth  a  certain  livery  to  his  servants,  whereby  they  may  be 
known  that  they  pertain  unto  him  ;  and  so  we  say,  "  Yonder 
is  this  lord's  servant,"  because  he  weareth  his  livery  :  so  our 
Saviour,  which  is  the  Lord  above  all  lords,  would  his  servants 
to  be  known  by  their  liveries  and  badge,  which  badge  is 
He  that  hath  love.  "Whosoever  now  is  endued  with  love  and  charity  is  his 
.'imityis      servant:  him   we   may  call   Christ's   servant,  for  love  is  the 

Christ  s  ser-  ^ 

val"  token  whereby  you  shall  know  such  a  servant  that  pertaineth 

to  Christ ;  so  that  charity  may  be  called  the  very  livery  of 
Christ  :  he  that  hath  charity  is  Christ's  servant ;  he  that 
hath  not  charity  is  the  servant  of  the  devil.  For  like  as 
Christ's  livery  is  love  and  charity,  so  the  devil's  livery  is 

The  devil      hatred,  malice,  and  discord.      But  I  think  the  devil  hath  a 

hath  more 

thanachrist    great  many  more  servants  than  Christ  hath ;  for  there  be  a 

Ivith  ioveed   great  many  more  in  his  livery  than  in   Christ's  livery  :  there 

and  chanty.   ^0  ^  yQv^  £ew  yfafa  ^G  encmecl  with  Christ's  livery,  with 

love  and    charity,    gentleness  and   meekness  of  spirit ;    but 

there  be  a  great  number  of  those  that  bear  hatred  and  malice 

in  their  hearts,  that  be  proud,  stout,  and  lofty;  therefore  the 

number  of  the  devil's  servants  are  greater  than  the  number 

of  Christ's  servants.      Now  St  Paul  sheweth  how  needful  a 

Godiy  love,    thing   this   love   is  :    I   speak  not  of  carnal  love,  which  is  a 

not  carnal.  &  r 

very  beastly  love,  wherewith  the  whoremonger  loveth  his 
whore ;  but  this  charitable  love  is  so  necessary,  that  when  a 
man  hath  her,  without  all  other  things  it  will  suffice  him. 
Again,  if  a  man  have  all  other  things  and  lacketh  that  love, 
it  will  not  help  him,  it  is  all  in  vain l  and  lost.    St  Paul  used  it 

i  cor.  xm.  so:  "  Though  I  spake  with  tongues  of  men  and  angels,  and  yet 
had  no  love,  I  were  even  as  sounding  brass  or  as  a  tinkling 
cymbal :  and  though  I  could  prophesy,  and  understand  all 
secrets  and  all  knowledge  ;  yea,  if  I  had  all  faith  so  that  1 
could  move  mountains  out  of  their  places,  and  yet  had  no 

if  we  lack     love,  I  were  nothing:  and  though  I  bestowed  all  my  goods 

love  we  are  ,  S  ©  J    a 

nothing.       to  feed  the  poor,  and  though  I  gave  my  body  even  that  i 
['  all  vain,  1584,  1596.] 


XXIV.]  FOR    ST  SIMOX     AND    ST  JUDEl's    DAY.  449 

burned,  and  yet  had  no  love,  it  profiteth  me  nothing."    These 
are  godly  gifts;  yet  St  Paul  calleth  them  nothing,  when  a  man 
hath  them  without  charity :  which  is  a  great  commendation 
and  a  great  necessity  of  love,  inasmuch  that  all  other  virtues  virtues  M 
be  in  vain  when  this  love  is  absent.     And  there  have  been^u  le 

,  .    .       •  ..  absent. 

some  which  thought  that  St  Paul  spake  against  the  dignity  of 
faith  :  but  you  must  understand  that  St  Paul  speaketh  here 
not  of  the  justifying  faith,  wherewith  we  receive  everlasting  justifying 
life ;  but  he  understandeth  by  this  word  faith  the  gift  to  do  faith' 
miracles,  to  remove  hills  :  of  such  a  faith  he  speaketh.     This 
I  say  to  the  confirmation  of  this  proposition,  "Faith  only  justi- 
fieth:"  this  proposition  is  most  true  and  certain.    And  St  Paul 
speaketh   not  here   of  this  lively  justifying  faith  :   for  this 
right  faith  is  not  without  love  :  for  love  cometh  and  floweth  Faith  not 
out  of  faith.     Love  is  a  child  of  faith  ;  for  no  man  can  love  rffiofe. 
except  he  believe :  so  that  they  have  two  several  offices,  they 
themselves   being   inseparable. 

St  Paul  hath  a  saying  in  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  the  first 
to  the  Corinthians,  which  after  the  outward  letter  seemed  much 
to  the  dispraise  of  this  faith,  and  to  the  praise  of  love  :  these 
be  his  words :  Nunc  autem  manent  fides,  spes,  caritas,  tria  1  cor.  xm. 
Juec :  major  autem  horum  est  caritas ;  "  Now  abideth  faith, 
hope,  and  love,  even  these  three;  but  the  chief2  of  these  is  love." 
There  be  some  learned  men  which  expound  tins  majority, 
of  which  St  Paul  speaketh  here,  for  diuturnity.  For  when 
we  come  to  God,  then  we  believe  no  more,  but  rather  see 
with  our  eyes  face  to  face  how  he  is;  yet  for  all  that  love 
remaineth  still,  so  that  love  may  be  called  the  chiefest,  because 
she  endureth  for  ever.  And  though  she  be  the  chiefest,  yet 
we  must  not  attribute  unto  her  the  office  which  pertaineth  *">  "ove 
unto  faith  only.  Like  as  I  cannot  say,  the  mayor  of  Stamford  *"' 
must  make  me  a  pair  of  shoes,  because  he  is  a  greater  man 
than  the  shoemaker  is ;  for  the  mayor,  though  he  be  the 
greater  man,  yet  it  is  not  his  office  to  make  shoes:  so,  though 
love  be  greater,  yet  it  is  not  her  office  to  save.  Thus  much 
I  thought  good  to  say  against  those  winch  fight  against  the 
truth. 

Now,  when  we  will  know  which   be  in   this3  livery  or 
not,  we  must  learn  it  of  St  Paul,  which  most  evidently  de- 
scribed charity,  which  is  the  very  livery,   saying:  Caritas 
[2  chiefest,  1607.]  p  his,  1584.] 

[latimer.]  "- 


Faith  hath 

office, 

love  hath 
mother. 


450  SERMON     ON    THE    GOSPEL  [sERM. 

pattern  est;  "  Love  is  patient,  she  suffer eth  long."  Now 
whosoever  fumeth  and  is  angry,  he  is  out  of  this  livery  : 
therefore  let  us  remember  that  we  do  not  cast  away  the  livery 
of  Christ  our  master.  When  we  be  in  sickness  or  any  man- 
ner of  adversities,  our  duty  is  to  be  patient  and  suffer  it  will- 
ingly, and  to  call  upon  him  for  aid,  help,  and  comfort ;  for 
without  him  we  are  not  able  to  abide  any  tribulation.  There- 
fore we  must  call  upon  God  ;  he  hath  promised  to  help  : 
therefore  let  me  not  think  him  to  be  false  or  untrue  in  his 
promises,  for  we  cannot  dishonour  God  more  than  in  not  be- 
lieving or  trusting  in  him.  Therefore  let  us  beware  above 
unfaithful-    all   things   of  this    dishonouring    God :  and   so  we  must  be 

ness  is  a  (lis-  °  °   t 

honouring  of  patient,  trusting  and  most  certainly  believing,  that  he  will 
deliver  us  when  it  seemeth  him  good,  which  knoweth  the 
time  better  than  we  ourselves. 

Caritas  benigna  est,  "  Charity  is  gentle,  friendly,  and 
loving ;"  Caritas  non  invidet,  "  she  envieth  not."  They 
that,  envy  their  neighbour's  profit  when  it  goeth  well  with 
him,  such  fellows  are  out  of  their  liveries,  and  so  out  of  the 
service  of  God ;  for  to  be  envious  is  to  be  the  servant  of 
the  devil. 

Caritas  non  est  procax,  "  Love  doth  not  frowardly, 
she  is  not  a  provoker :"  as  there  be  some  men  which  will 
provoke  their  neighbour  so  far,  that  it  is  very  hard  for  them 
to  be  in  charity  with  them.  But  we  must  wrestle  with  our 
affection ;  we  must  strive  and  see  that  we  keep  this  livery  of 
Christ  our  master ;  for  "  the  devil  goeth  about  as  a  roaring 
lion,  seeking  to  take  us  at  a  vantage ;"  to  bring  us  out  of 
our  liveries,  and  to  take  from  us  the  knot  of  love  and 
charity. 

Caritas  non  inflatur,  "  Love  swelleth  not,  is  not  puffed 
up :"  but  there  be  many  swellers  now-a-days,  they  be  so 
high,  so  lofty,  insomuch  that  they  despise  and  contemn  all 
other.  All  such  persons  are  under  the  governance  of  the 
devil.  God  ruleth  not  them  with  his  good  Spirit ;  the  evil 
spirit  hath  occupied  their  hearts  and  possessed  them. 

Caritas  non  agit  perperam,  "She  doeth  not  dishonestly." 

Non  qua'rit  quai  sua  sunt,  "  she  seeketh  not  her  own ;"  she 

mie'andoni16  doth  a^  things  to  the  commodity  of  her  neighbours.    A  cha- 

chrisrtiana      citable  man  will  not  promote  himself  with  the  damage  of  his 

man-siife.     neighbour.      They  that  seek  only  their  own  commodities,  for- 


XXIV.]  FOR    ST    SIMON    AND    ST    JUDES    DAY.  451 

getting  their  neighbours,  they  be  not  of  God;  they  have  not 
his  livery.  Further,  "charity  is  not  provoked  to  anger;"  non 
cogitat  malum,  "  she  thinketh  not  evil."  We  ought  not  to 
think  evil  of  our  neighbour  as  long  as  we  see  not  open 
wickedness  by  him1:  for  it  is  written,  "you  shall  not  judge;" 
we  shall  not  take  upon  us  to  condemn  our  neighbour.  And 
surely  these  condemners  of  other  men's  works  be  not  in  the 
livery  of  Christ :  Christ  hateth  them. 

Non  gaudet  super  iniquitate,  "  She  rejoiceth  not  in  ini- 
quity;" she  loveth  equity  and  godliness.  And  again,  she  is 
sorry  to  hear  of  falsehood,  of  stealing,  or  such  like,  which 
wickedness  is  now  at  this  time  most  commonly  used :  yea, 
there  was  never  such  falsehood  among  christian  men  as  there 
is  now  at  this  time.  Truly  I  think,  and  they  that  have 
experience  report  it  so,  that  among  the  very  infidels  and 
Turks  there  is  more  fidelity  and  uprightness  than  among 
christian  men !  For  no  man  setteth  any  thing  by  his  pro- 
mise ;  yea,  and  writings  will  not  serve  with  some,  they  be 
so  shameless  that  they  dare  deny  their  own  hand-writing  : 
but,  I  pray  you,  are  those  false  fellows  in  the  livery  of 
Christ  ?  Have  they  his  cognizance  ?  No,  no ;  they  have 
the  badge  of  the  devil,  with  whom  they  shall  be  damned 
world  without  end,  except  they  amend  and  leave  their 
wickedness. 

Omnia  suffert,  omnia  credit ;  "  She  suffereth  all  things, 
she  believeth  all  thino-s."  It  is  a  great  matter  that  should 
make  us  to  be  grieved  with  our  neighbour.  We  should  be 
so  patient  when  our  neighbour  doth  naught ;  we  should  ad- 
monish him  of  his  folly,  earnestly  desiring  him  to  leave 
his  wickedness,  shewing  the  danger  that  followeth,  namely, 
everlasting  damnation.  In  such  wise  we  shall  study  to  amend  Love  seeketh 
our  neighbour,  and  not  to  hate  him  or  do  him  a  foul  turn  not  destmc-' 
again;  but  rather  charitably  study  to  amend  him.  Whoso- 
ever now  doth  so,  he  hath  the  livery  and  recognizance  of 
Christ;  he  shall  be  known  at  the  last  day  for  his  servant. 

Omnia  credit,  "  Love  believeth  all  things/'  It  appeareth 
daily  that  they  that  be  charitable  and  friendly  are  most  de- 
ceived, because  they  think  well  of  every  man ;  they  believe 
every  man ;  they  trust  their  words,  and  therefore  are  most 
deceived  in  this  world  among  the  children  of  the  devil. 
t1  them,  1571, 1572.] 

29—2 


452  SERMON    ON    THE    GOSPEL  [sERM. 

These  and  such  like  things  are  the  tokens  of  the  right 
and  godly  love  :  therefore  they  that  have  this  love  are  soon 
known,  for  this  love  cannot  be  hidden  in  corners ;  she  hath 
her  operation.  Therefore  all  that  have  her  arc  well  enough, 
though  they  have  no  other  gifts  beside  her.  Again,  they 
that  lack  her,  though  they  have  many  other  gifts  besides, 
yet  is  it  to  no  other  purpose,  it  doth  them  no  good.  For 
when  we  shall  come  at  the  great  day  before  him,  having 
not  tins  livery,  that  is,  love,  with  us,  then  we  are  lost ;  he 
will  not  take  us  for  his  servants,  because  we  have  not  his 
cognizance.  But  and  if  we  have  this  livery,  if  we  wear 
his  cognizance  here  in  this  world ;  that  is,  if  we  love  our 
neighbour,  help  him  in  his  distress,  be  charitable,  loving, 
and  friendly  unto  him,  then  we  shall  bo  known  at  the  last 
day :  but  if  we  be  uncharitable  towards  our  neighbour,  hate 
him,  seek  our  own  commodity  with  his  damage,  then  we 
shall  bo  rejected  of  Christ,  and  so  damned  world  without 
end.  . 

Our  Saviour  saith  here  in  tins  gospel,  Hcec  mando  vo- 
bis  ut  diligatis  vos  invicem ;  "  I  command  you,  hcec,  those 
things :"  he  speaketh  in  the  plural  number,  and  lappcth  it 
up  in  one  thing,  which  is,  that  we  shall  love  one  another ; 
much  like  St  Paul's  saying  in  the  thirteenth  to  the  Ro- 
mans, Nemini  quicquam  debeatis,  quam  ut  diligatis  vos  in- 
vicem :  "  Owe  nothing  to  any  man,  but  to  love  one  another." 
Here  St  Paul  lappeth  up  all  things  together,  signifying  unto 
us  that  love  is  the  consummation  of  the  law  :  for  this  com- 
mandment, "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,"  is  contained 
in  tins  law  of  love ;  for  he  that  loveth  God  will  not  break 
wedlock,  because  wedlock-breaking  is  a  dishonouring  of  God 
and  serving  of  the  devil.  Non  occides,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
kill :"  he  that  loveth  will  not  kill,  he  will  do  no  harm.  Non 
furtum  fades,  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal :"  he  that  loveth  his 
neighbour  as  himself  will  not  take  away  Ins  goods.  I  had 
of  late  occasion  to  speak  of  picking  and  stealing,  where  I 
shewed  unto  you  the  danger  wherein  they  be  that  steal  their 
neighbour's  goods  from  them  ;  but  I  hear  nothing  yet  of  resti- 
tution. Sirs,  I  tell  you,  except  restitution  be  made,  look  for 
no  salvation.  And  it  is  a  miserable  and  heinous  thing  to 
consider,  that  we  be  so  blinded  with  this  world,  that  rather 
than  we  would  make  restitution,  we  will  sell  unto  the  devil 


XXIV.]  I'OK    ST    SIMON     AND    ST    JUI>e's    DAY.  453 

our  souls,  which  arc  bought  with  the  blood  of  our  Saviour 
Christ.  What  thing  can  be  done  more  to  the  dishonouring  of 
Christ,  than  to  cast  our  souls  away  to  the  devil  for  the  value 
of  a  little  money ;  the  soul  which  ho  hath  bought  with  his 
painful  passion  and  death?  But  I  tell  you  those  that  will  41t!^'^l;,1,;1;,.;,ls 
do  so,  and  that  will  not  make  restitution  when  they  have  f^'s 
done  wrong  or  taken  away  their  neighbour's  goods,  they  be 
not  in  the  livery  of  Christ,  they  be  not  his  servants :  let 
them  go  as  tricksy  as  they  will  in  this  world,  yet  for  all 
that  they  be  foul  and  filthy  enough  before  God ;  they  stink 
before  his  face,  and  therefore  they  shall  be  cast  from  his  pre- 
sence into  everlasting  fire.  This  shall  be  all  their  good  cheer 
that  they  shall  have,  for  because  they  have  not  the  livery  of 
Christ,  nor  his  cognizance,  which  is  love.  They  remember 
not  that  Christ  commanded  us,  saying,  Hcec  jircecipio  vobis, 
ut  diligatis  invicem ;  "  This  I  command  you,  that  ye  love  John  *v. 
one  another."  Tins  is  Christ's  commandment.  Moses,  the 
great  prophet  of  God,  gave  many  laws,  but  he  gave  not  the 
spirit  to  fulfil  the  same  laws :  but  Christ  gave l  this  law,  and 
promised  unto  us,  that  when  we  call  upon  him  he  will  give 
us  his  Holy  Ghost,  which  shall  make  us  able  to  fulfil  his 
law ;  though  not  so  perfectly  as  the  Law  requireth,  but  yet 
to  the  contentation  of  God,  and  to  the  protestation2  of  our 
faith.  For  as  long  as  we  be  in  this  world,  we  can  do  nothing 
as  we  ought  to  do,  because  our  flesh  leadeth  us,  which  is 
ever  bent  against  the  law  of  God;  yet  for  all  that,  our 
works  which  we  do  are  well  taken  for  Christ's  sake,  and 
God  will  reward  them  in  heaven.  Therefore  our  Saviour 
saith,  Juguni  meum  suave  est,  et  onus  meum  leve ;  "  My 
yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light,"  for  because  he  Matt.  %\. 
hclpcth  to  bear  them ;  else  indeed  wo  should  not  be  able 
to  bear  them.  And  in  another  place  of  the  scripture  he 
saith,  Prcecepta  ejus  gravia  non  sunt;  "His  commandments  1  John  v. 
be  not  heavy."  They  be  heavy  to  our  flesh,  if  it  should  not 
be  qualified  with  the  Spirit  of  God ;  but  to  the  faithful  which 
believe  in  Christ,  to  them,  I  say,  they  be  not  heavy  :  for 
though  they  do  not  it  to  the  uttermost,  yet  their  doings  be 
well   taken3  for  Christ's  sake. 

[!  givcth,  1571,  1572.]  [2  protection,  1584.] 

[3  for  though   their    doings  be    not  perfect    yet  they  are  well 
taken,  1607.] 


454  SERMON     ON     THE    GOSPEL,     &C  [.SEEM 

You  shall  not  be  offended  because  the  scripture  commend- 
Love  is  the     cth  love  so  highly  ;  for  he  that  commcndeth  the  daughter, 

cl;ni;ihttT  and  °      </  _  o 

niothher.the  commendeth  the  mother  ;  for  love  is  the  daughter,  and  faith 
is  the  mother.  Love  floweth  out  of  faith ;  where  faith  is, 
there  is  love ;  but  yet  Ave  must  consider  their  offices :  faith 
is  the  hand  wherewith  we  take1  everlasting  life. 

Now  let  us  go  all2  into  ourselves,  and  examine  our  own 
hearts,  whether  we  be  in  the  livery  of  God,  or  no  :  and 
when  we  find  ourselves  to  be  out  of  this  livery,  let  us 
repent  and  amend  our  lives ;  so  that  we  may  come  again 
to  the  favour  of  God,  and  spend  our  time  in  this  world 
to  his  honour  and  glory,  forgiving  our  neighbours  all  such 
things  as  they  have  done  against  us. 

Christ  com-  And  now  to  make  an  end.      Mark  here,  who  save  this 

iii.ti]<li.-th  love  o 

to  be  had      precept  of  love, — Christ  our  Saviour  himself:   when  and  at 

araimj  all         -1  x 

men-  what  time — at  his  departing,  when  he  should  suffer  death  : 

therefore  these  words  ought  the  more  to  be  esteemed  and 
regarded,  seeing  he  himself  spake  them  at  his  last  departing 
from  us.  God  the  Almighty  give3  us  grace  so  to  walk  here 
in  this  world  charitably  and  friendly  one  with  another,  that 
we  may  attain  the  felicity4  which  God  hath  prepared  for 
all  those  that  love  him !     Amen. 

[i  take  hold  on,  1607.]  [2  enter,  1607.] 

[3  God  of  his  mercy  give,  1607.]  [4  joy,  1607.] 


A  SERMON3  ON  THE  PARABLE  OF  A  KINO  THAT  MARRIED 
HIS  SON,  MADE  BY  MASTER  LATIMER. 


MATTHEW  XXII.  [2,  3.] 


Simile  factum  est  regnv/m  coelorum  homini  regi  qui  fecit  nuptias  filio  »<.*„ 


suo.  Re 

twentieth 

The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  certain  king,  which  married  Sunday  after 
his  son,  and  sent  forth  his  servants  to  call  them  that,  &c. 


This  is  a  gospel  that  containeth  very  much  matter ;  and 
there  is  another  like  unto  this  in  the  fourteenth  of  Luke :  but  Luke  xiv- 
they  be  both  one  in  effect,  for  they  teach  both  one  thing ;  Two  pranks, 

«  v  o  7  meaning  all 

and  therefore  I  will  take  them  both  in  hand  together,  because  onetllins- 

they  tend  to  one   purpose.      Matthew  saith,  "  The  kingdom 

of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  certain  king,  which  married  his  son ;" 

Luke  saith,  "  A  certain  man  ordained  a  great  supper :"  but 

there  is  no  difference  in  the  very  substance  of  the  matter, 

for  they  pertain  to  one  purpose.      Here  is  made  mention  of 

a  feast-maker :    therefore   we   must   consider    who   was   this  seven  things 

l-ii  i  •  i'ii  to  ,jecon- 

ieast-maker  :  secondarily,  who  was  his  son:  thirdly,  we  must sidtred  in  this 
consider  to  whom  he  was  married :  fourthly,  who  were  they 
that  called  the  guests  :  fifthly,  who  were  the  guests.  And 
then  we  must  know  how  the  guest-callers  behaved  them- 
selves :  and  then,  how  the  guests  behaved  themselves  towards 
them  that  called  them.  When  all  these  circumstances  be 
considered,  we  shall  find  much  good  matters  covered  and  hid 
in  this  gospel. 

Now  that  I  may  so  handle  these  matters,  that  it  may 
turn  to  the  edification  of  your  souls,  and  to  the  discharge 
of  my  office,  I  will  most  instantly  desire  you  to  lift  up  your 
hearts  unto  God,  and  desire  his  divine  Majesty,  in  the  name 
of  his  only-begotten   Son  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  that  he 

[5  This  and  eight  other  sermons,  of  which  a  part  only  could  be 
conveniently  included  in  the  present  volume,  were  comprised  in  a 
collection  with  the  following  title :  "  Certayn  other  Sermons  preached 
by  the  right  reverende  father  in  God,  Master  Hugh  Latymer,  in  Lin- 
colneshyre,  the  yere  of  our  Lord  1553,  [1552.]  Collected  and  gathered 
by  Augustine  Bernherre  an  Helvetian:  and  albeit  not  so  fully  and 
perfectly  gathered  as  they  were  uttered ;  yet  nevertheles  truly,  to  the 
singuler  comoditie  and  profite  of  the  simple  ignorant,  who  with  fervent 
zele  and  diligent  redying,  desyre  to  be  better  taught  and  instructed."] 


456  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

™c.f atobe  WU<1  giye  un^0  us  ms  Holy  Ghost: — unto  me,  that  I  may 
God's  hand.  Speak  ^he  wor(j  0f  Qq^  an(j  teach  you  to  understand  the 
same ;  unto  you,  that  you  may  hear  it  fruitfully,  to  the 
edification  of  your  souls ;  so  that  you  may  be  edified  through 
it,  and  your  lives  reformed  and  amended ;  and1  that  his 
honour  and  glory  may  increase  daily  amongst  us.  Where- 
fore2 I  shall  desire  you  to  say  with  me,  "  Our  Father,"  &c. 

Dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord,  the  gospel  that  is  read  this 
day  is  a  parable,  a  similitude  or  comparison.  For  our  Sa- 
viour compared  the  kingdom  of  God  unto  a  man  that  made 
a  marriage  for  his  son.  And  here  was  a  marriage.  At  a 
marriage,  you  know,  there  is  commonly  great  feastings.  Now 
you  must  know  who  was  this  feast-maker,  and  who  was  his 
son,  and  to  whom  he  was  married ;  and  who  were  those  that 
should  bo  called,  and  who  were  the  callers ;  how  they  be- 
haved themselves,  and  how  the  guests  behaved  themselves 
towards  them  that  called  them, 
who  was  Now  this  marriage-maker,  or  feast-maker,  is  Almighty 

this  mar-  O  O       «/ 

riage-maker.  qoi\^  ■  Luke  the  Evangelist  calleth  Mm  a  man,  saying,  "  A 
certain  man  ordained  a  great  supper."  He  calleth  him  a 
man,  not  that  he  was  incarnate,  or  hath  taken  our  flesh  upon 
him  :  no,  not  so;  for  you  must  understand  that  there  be  three 
Persons  in  the  Deity,  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and 
God  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  these  three  Persons  decked  the 
Son  with  manhood  :  so  that  neither  the  Father,  neither  the 

Sne  nian!  IIoly  Ghost  took  flesh  upon  them,  but  only  the  Son ;  he 
took  our  flesh  upon  him,  taking  it  of  the  virgin  Mary.     But 

aman,bauted  Luke  called  God  the  Father  a  man,  not  because  he  took  flesh 

is  not  so.  Up0n  ]inil)  Dllt  only  compared  him  unto  a  man ;  not  that  he 
will  affirm  him   to   bo   man.      Who  was  ho  now  that  was 

Christ  is  the   married  ?    Who  was  the  bridegroom  ?    Marry,  that  was  our 

bridegroom.  >  O  .  . 

Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  the  second  person  in  the  Deity ;  the 
eternal  Son  of  God.     Who  should  be  his  spouse  ?     To  whom 
uthebdde    was  ne  married  ?     To3  his  church  and  congregation :  for  he 
would  have  all  the  world  to  come  unto  him,  and  to  be  mar- 
ried unto   him :  but  we  see  by  daily  experience,   that  the 
most  part  refuse  this  offer.     But  here  is  shewed  the  state  of 
The  marriage  the  church  of  God :  for  this  marriage,  this  feast,  was  begun 
m'ihc  the       at  the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  shall  endure  to  the  end 

world  began.  ©  o  ' 

of  the  same :   yet  for  all  that,  the  most  part  refused  it :  for 
t1  so,  1562.]      [2  And  therefore,  1562.]      p  Many,  to,  1562.] 


XXV.]  PARABLE    OF    A    KING    THAT    MARRIED    HIS    SON.  457 

at  the  very  beginning  of  the  world,  ever  the  most  part  re- 
fused to  come.  And  so  it  appeareth  at  this4  time,  how  little 
a  number  cometh  to  this  wedding  and  feast :  though  we  have 
callers,  yet  there  be  but  few  of  those  that  come.  So  ye 
hear  that  God  is  the  feast-maker ;  the  bridegroom  is  Christ, 
his  Son,  our  Saviour ;   the  bride  is  the  congregation. 

Now  what  manner  of  meat  was  prepared  at  this  great 
feast?  For  ye  know  it  is  commonly  seen,  that  at  a  mar- 
riage the  finest  meat  is  prepared  that  can  be  gotten.  What 
was  the  chiefest  dish  at  this  great  banquet?  What  was  the 
feast-dish?     Marry,  it  was  the  bridegroom  himself:  for  the  ihebride- 

1  °  groom  him 

Father,  the  feast-maker,  prepared  none  other  manner  of  meat  self  was  the 

'  1        1  best  disli  ol 

for  the  guests,  but  the  body  and  blood  of  his  own  natural the  feast- 
Son.  And  this  is  the  chiefest  dish  at  this  banquet ;  which 
truly  is  a  marvellous  thing,  that  the  Father  offercth  his  Son 
to  be  eaten.  Verily,  I  think  that  no  man  hath  heard  the 
like.  And  truly  there  was  never  such  kind  of  feasting  as 
this  is,  where  the  Father  will  have  Iris  Son  to  be  eaten,  and 
Ins  blood  to  be  drunk. 

We  read  in  a  story5,  that  a  certain  man  had  eaten  his 
son ;  but  it  was  clone  unawares :  he  knew  not  that  it  was  his 
son,  else  no  doubt  he  would  not  have  eaten  him.  The  story 
is  this  :   There  was  a  king  named  Astyages,  which  had  heard  The  history 

of  Astyaees 

by  a  prophecy,  that  one  Cyrus  should  have  the  rule  and  and  Harpa- 
dominion  over  his  realm  after  his  departure ;  winch  thing 
troubled  the  said  king  very  sore,  and  therefore  [he]  sought 
all  the  ways  and  means  how  to  get  the  said  Cyrus  out  of 
the  way ;  how  to  kill  lum,  so  that  he  should  not  be  king 
after  him.  Now  he  had  a  nobleman  in  his  house,  named 
Harpagus,  whom  he  appointed  to  destroy  the  said  Cyrus : 
but  howsoever  the  matter  went,  Cyrus  was  preserved  and 
kept  alive,  contrary  to  the  king's  mind.  Which  thing  when 
Astyages  heard,  what  doth  he?  This  ho  did0:  Harpagus,  An  example 
that  nobleman  which  was  put  in  trust  to  kill  Cyrus,  had  a°  eruety 
son  in  the  court,  whom  the  king  commanded  to  be  taken ; 
his  head,  hands,  and  feet  to  be  cut  off ;  and  his  body  to  be 
prepared,  roasted,  or  sodden,  of  the  best  manner  as  could  be 
devised.  After  that,  he  biddcth  Harpagus  to  come  and  eat 
with  him,  where  there  was  jolly  cheer ;  one  dish  coming  after 

[■»  this  our,  1562.]  [5  Herodotus  i.  108—119  :  Justin,  i.  4—6.] 

[6  Marry,  this,  1562.] 


458  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

another.  At  length  the  king  asked  him,  "  Sir,  how  liketh 
you  your  fare?"  Harpagus  thanketh  the  king,  with  much 
praising  the  king's  banquet.  Now  the  king  perceiving  him 
to  be  merrily  disposed,  commanded  one  of  his  servants  to 
bring  in  the  head,  hands,  and  feet  of  Harpagus's  son.  When 
it  was  done,  the  king  shewed  him  what  manner  of  meat  he 
had  eaten,  asking  lrim  how  it  liketh  him.  Harpagus  made 
answer,  though  with  an  heavy  heart,  Quod  regi  placet,  id 
mihi  quoque  placet ;  "  Whatsoever  pleaseth  the  king,  that 
cruelty  re-  also  pleaseth  me."  And  here  we  have  an  ensample  of  a 
'withti'ittery.  flatterer,  or  dissembler :  for  this  Harpagus  spake  against 
his  own  heart  and  conscience.  Surely,  I  fear  me,  there  be 
a  great  many  of  flatterers  in  our  time  also,  which  will  not 
be  ashamed  to  speak  against  their  own  heart  and  consciences, 
like  as  this  Harpagus  did;  which  had,  no  doubt,  a  heavy 
heart,  and  in  his  conscience  the  act  of  the  king  misliked 
him,  yet  for  all  that  with  his  tongue  he  praised  the  same. 
So.  I  say,  we  read  not  in  any  story,  that  at  any  time  any 
father  had  eaten  his  son  willingly  and  wittingly ;  and  this 
Harpagus,  of  whom  I  rehearsed  the  story,  did  it  unawares. 
A,i£nof  But  the  Almighty  God,  which  prepared  this  feast  for  all 
towartirman.  the  world,  for  all  those  that  will  come  unto  it,  he  offereth 
his  only  Son  to  be  eaten,  and  his  blood  to  be  drunken. 
Belike  he  loved  his  guests  well,  because  he  did1  feed  them 
with  so  costly  a  dish. 

Again,  our  Saviour,  the  bridegroom,  offereth  himself  at 

his  last  supper  which  he  had  with  his  disciples,  his  body  to  be 

eaten,  and  Ms  blood  to  be  drunk.      And  to  the  intent  that  it 

Christ's  body  should  be  done  to  our  great  comfort ;  and  then  again  to  take 

c'utVnVimi ls   awav  all  crucltv,  irksomeness,  and  horribleness,  he  sheweth 

drunken  <J  «  '  .  ,     „ 

spiritually.  unt0  us  how  we  shan  eat  him,  m  what  manner  and  iorin ; 
namely,  spiritually,  to  our  great  comfort :  so  that  whosoever 
eateth  the  mystical  bread,  and  drinketh  the  mystical  wine 
worthily,  according  to  the  ordinance  of  Christ,  he  receiveth 
surely  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ  spiritually,  as  it 
shall  be  most  comfortable  unto  his  soul.  He  eateth  with  the 
mouth  of  his  soul,  and  digesteth  with  the  stomach  of  his  soul, 
the  body  of  Christ.  And  to  be  short :  whosoever  believeth 
in  Christ,  putteth  his  hope,  trust,  and  confidence  in  him,  he 
eateth  and  drinketh  him :  for  the  spiritual  eating  is  the  right 
[i  he  feedeth,  1562.] 


XXV.]  PARABLE    OF     A     KING    THAT     MARRIED    HIS    SON.  459 

eating  to  everlasting  life  ;   not  the  corporal  eating,  as  the  Ca-  The  spiritual 
pernaites  understood  it.      For  that  same  corporal  eating,  on  Christ  is  the 
which  they  set  their  minds,  hath  no  commodities  at  all :  it  is 
a  spiritual  meat  that  feedeth  our  souls. 

But  I  pray  you,  how  much  is  this  supper  of  Christ  re- 
garded amongst  us,  where  he  himself  exhibiteth  unto  us  his 
body  and  blood  "?      How  much,  I  say,  is  it  regarded  ?      How  The  Lords 

.,-,  .     .  ct         r\    -r         it  supper  is  not 

many  receive  it  with  the  curate  or  mmister  c      (J  Lord,  how  regarded. 
blind  and  dull  are  we  to  such  things,  which  pertain  to  our  sal- 
vation !      But  I  pray  you,  wherefore  was  it  ordained  princi- 
pally ?     Answer :  it  was  ordained  for  our  help,  to  help  our  why  the 

.-,,  .  ip  Lord's  supper 

memory  withal;   to  put  us  in  mmd  of  the  great  goodness  of  was  ordained. 
God,  in  redeeming  us  from  everlasting  death  by  the  blood  of 
our  Saviour  Christ ;  yea,  and  to  signify  unto  us,  that  his  body 
and  blood  is  our  meat  and  drink  for  our  souls,  to  feed  them  to 
everlasting  life.    If  we  were  now  so  perfect  as  we  ought  to  be, 
we  should  not  have  need  of  it  :  but  to  help  our  imperfectness 
it  was  ordained  of  Christ ;   for  we  be  so  forgetful,  when  we 
be  not  pricked  forward,  we  have  soon  forgotten  all  his  benefits. 
Therefore  to  the  intent  that  we  might  better  keep  it  in  me-  we  be  both 
mory,  and  to  remedy  this  our  slothfulness,  our  Saviour  hath  forgetful, 
ordained  this  his  supper  for  us,  whereby  we  should  remem- 
ber his  great  goodness,  his  bitter  passion  and  death,  and  so 
strengthen  our  faith:   so  that  he  instituted  this  supper  for  our 
sake,  to  make  us  to  keep  in  fresh  memory  his  inestimable 
benefits.    But,  as  I  said  before,  it  is  in  a  manner  nothing  re- 
garded amongst  us :  we  care  not  for  it ;  we  will  not  come 
unto  it.     How  many  be  there,  think  ye,  which  regard  this 
supper  of  the  Lord  as  much  as  a  testoon  ?     But  very  few,  no 
doubt  of  it :  and  I  will  prove  that  they  regard  it  not  so  much. 
If  there  were  a  proclamation  made  in  this  town,  that  whoso- 
ever would  come  unto  the  church  at  such  an  hour,  and  there  For  a  testoon 
go  to  the  communion  with  the  curate,  should  have  a  testoon ;  sVouTdVave 
when  such  a  proclamation  were  made,  I  think,  truly,  all  the  cants  enough. 
town  would  come  and  celebrate  the  communion  to  get  a  tes- 
toon :  but  they  will  not  come  to  receive  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ,  the  food  and  nourishment  of  their  souls,  to  the 
augmentation  and  strength  of  their  faith  !     Do  they  not  more  The  cause 
regard  now  a  testoon  than   Christ?      But  the  cause  which  no mnTd toVe 

ii  n  oil  •  it      i  t         it       n  •         come  to  the 

letteth  us  ironr  celebrating  of  the   Lord  s  Supper,  is  this  :  communion. 
[2  from  the,  15G2.] 


460  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

we  have  no  mind  nor  purpose  to  leave  sin  and  wickedness, 
which  maketh  us  not  to  come  to  this  supper,  because  we  be 
not  ready  nor  meet  to  receive  it.  But  I  require  you  in  God's 
behalf,  leave  your  wickedness,  that  ye  may  receive  it  worthily, 
according  to  his  institution.  For  this  supper  is  ordained,  as 
I  told  you  before,  for  our  sake,  to  our  profits  and  commodi- 
ties :  for  if  we  were  perfect,  we  should  not  need  this  outward 
sacrament ;  but  our  Saviour,  knowing  our  weakness  and  for- 
getfulncss,  ordained  this  supper  to  the  augmentation  of  our 
Men  come     faith,  and  to    put  us  in  remembrance  of  his  benefits.     But 

to  the  com-  .  «  ,  , 

munion  of  wc  W1H  not  come :  there  come  no  more  at  once,  but  such  as 
give  the  holy  loaves  from  house  to  house1;  which  follow 
rather  the  custom  than  any  thing  else.      Our  Saviour  Christ 

John  vi.  saith  in  the  gospel  of  St  John,  Ego  sum  panis  vivus,  qui  de 
ccelo  descendi ;  "  I  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down  from 

whoso         heaven."    Therefore  whosoever  feedeth  of  our  Saviour  Christ, 

calelh 

sh!ufnot"t,!ih  nc  snaU  not  Pcl>isn  5  death  shall  not  prevail  against  him  :  his 
l,erish"  soul  shall  depart  out  of  his  body,  yet  death  shall  not  get  the 
victory  over  him ;  he  shall  not  be  damned.  He  that  cometh 
to  that  marriage,  to  that  banquet,  death  shall  be  unto  him 
but  an  entrance  or  a  door  to  everlasting  life.  Panis  quern 
ego  dabo  caro  mea  est;  "The  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my 
flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  As  many 
as  will  feed  upon  him,  shall  attain  to  everlasting  life  :  they 
shall  never  die;  they  shall  prevail  against  death ;  death  shall 
r>oath  hath    not  hurt  them,  because  he  hath   lost   his  strength.      If  wc 

lo.st  his  still". 

would  consider  this,  no  doubt  we  would  be  more  desirous  to 
come  to  the  communion  than  we  be;  we  would  not  be  so  cold; 
we  would  be  content  to  leave  our  naughty  living,  and  come 
to  the  Lord's  table. 

Now  ye  have  heard  what  shall  be  the  chiefest  dish  at  this 
ri1',  diversity  marriage,  namely,  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ.     But  now 

ot  dishes  that  o    '  <i  '  <J 

saup^"his  there  be  other  dishes,  which  be  sequels  or  hangings-on,  where- 
with the  chief  dish  is  powdered :  that  is,  remission  of  sins ; 
also  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  ruleth  and  governeth  our  hearts ; 

[!  It  was  formerly  the  custom  for  each  householder  in  a  parish  to 
provide,  in  his  turn,  the  "holy  loaf"  which  was  used  at  the  celebration 
of  the  Lord's  Supper :  and  some  one  person,  at  least,  of  that  house  to 
which,  by  course,  "  it  appertained  to  offer  for  the  charges  of  the  Com- 
munion," was  expected  to  communicate.  Sec  Liturgies  of  Edw.  VI. 
pp.  97,  98.     Park.  Soc.  Edition.] 


com- 
modities that 


commumca 


XXV.]         PARABLE    OF     A    KING    THAT     MARRIED     HIS    SON.  461 

also  the  merits  of  Christ,  which  are  made  ours.  For  when 
we  feed  upon  this  dish  worthily,  then  we  shall  have  remission 
of  our  sins  ;  we  shall  receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  Moreover,  all 
the  merits  of  Christ  are  ours;  his  fulfilling  of  the  law  is  ours; 
and  so  we  be  justified  before  God,  and  finally  attain  to  ever- 
lasting life.  As  many,  therefore,  as  feed  worthily  of  this 
dish,  shall  have  all  these  things  with  it,  and  in  the  end  ever- 
lasting life.  St  Paul  saith,  Qui  proprio  Filio  suo  non  pe-  Rom 
percit,  sed  pro  nobis  omnibus  tradidit  ilium,  quomodo  non 
etiam  cum  illo  omnia  nobis  donabit?  "  He  which  spared  not 
his  own  Son,  but  gave  him  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with 
him  give  us  all  things  also  ?"     Therefore  they  that  be  in  The 

o  £>  J  mo(j 

Christ  are  partakers  of  all  his  merits  and  benefits :  of  ever-  com4~of 
lasting  life,  and  of  all  felicity.  Ho  that  hath  Christ  hath  all  tins ari«ht 
things  that  are  Christ's.  He  is  our  preservation  from  dam- 
nation ;  he  is  our  comfort ;  he  is  our  help,  our  remedy. 
When  we  feed  upon  him,  then  we  shall  have  remission  of  our 
sins :  the  same  remission  of  sins  is  the  greatest  and  most 
comfortable  thing  that  can  be  in  the  world.  0  what  a  com-  MaU.  ix. 
fortable  tiling  is  tins,  when  Christ  saith,  Remittuntur  tibi 
peccata,  "  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  unto  thee  !"  And  this  is  a 
standing  sentence ;  it  was  not  spoken  only  to  the  same  one 
man2,  but  it  is  a  general  proclamation  unto  all  us:  all  and  a  general 

it  •         i  •  n  p         '  c  proclaina- 

every  one  that  beheveth  m   him  shall  have   forgiveness  ot  tion. 
their  sins.     And  this  proclamation  is  cried  out  daily  by  his 
ministers  and  preachers ;  which  proclamation  is  the  word  of 
orace,  the  word  of  comfort  and  consolation.    For  like  as  sin  is  Nothing  is  so 

O  '  ....  .      horrible  as 

the  most  fearful3  and  the  most  horriblest  thing  in  heaven  and  in  sin. 
earth,  so  the  most  comfortablest  tiling  is  the  remedy  against 
sin ;  which  remedy  is  declared  and  offered  unto  us  in  this  word 
of  grace :  and  the  power  to  distribute  this  remedy  against  sins 
ho  hath  given  unto  his  ministers,  which  be  God's  treasurers, 
distributers  of  the  word  of  God.  For  now  he  speakcth  by  me, 
he  calleth  you  to  this  wedding  by  me,  being  but  a  poor  man; 
yet  he  hath  sent  me  to  call  you.  And  though  he  be  the 
author  of  the  word,  yet  he  will  have  men  to  be  called  through 
his  ministers  to  that  word.  Therefore  let  us  give  credit  unto 
the  minister,  when  he  speaketh  God's  word :  yea,  rather  let 
us  credit  God  when  he  speaketh  by  his  ministers,  and  offereth 
us  remission  of  our  sins  by  his  word.  For  there  is  no  sin  so 
[2  that  same  man,  1562.]  p  fearfullest,  1562.] 


462  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

great  in  this  world,  but  it  is  pardonable  as  long  as  we  be  in 
this  world,  and  call  for  mercy :  for  here  is  the  time  of  mercy ; 
here  we  may  come  to  forgiveness  of  our  sins.  But  if  we  once 
die  in  our  sins1  and  wickedness,  so  that  we  be  damned,  let  us 
not  look  for  remission  afterwards  :  for  the  state  after  this  life 
is  unchangeable.  But  as  long  as  we  be  here2,  we  may  cry 
for  mercy.  Therefore  let  us  not  despair  :  let  us  amend  our 
lives,  and  cry  unto  God  for  forgiveness  of  our  sins ;  and  then 
no  doubt  we  shall  obtain  remission,  if  we  call  with  a  faithful 
heart  upon  him,  for  so  he  hath  promised  unto  us  in  his  most 
holy  word. 
ThtaLtstte  ^ie  k0^  scripture  maketh  mention  of  a  sin  against  the 

Hoiy  Ghost.  Holy  Ghost,  which  sin  cannot  be  forgiven,  neither  in  this 
world,  nor  in  the  world  to  come.  And  this  maketh  many 
men  unquiet  in  their  hearts  and  consciences  :  for  some  there 
be  which  ever  be  afraid,  lest  they  have  committed  that  same 
sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  irremissible.  Therefore 
some,  say,  "I  cannot  tell  whether  I  have  sinned  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  or  not :  if  I  have  committed  that  sin,  I  know  I 
shall  be  damned."  But  I  tell  you  what  ye  shall  do  :  despair 
not  of  the  mercy  of  God,  for  it  is  immeasurable.  I  cannot 
deny  but  that  there  is  a  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is 
irremissible :  but  we  cannot  judge  of  it  aforehand,  we  cannot 
tell  which  man  hath  committed  that  sin  or  not,  as  long  as  he 
is  alive;  but  when  he  is  once  gone,  then  I  can  judge  whether 
he  sinned  against  the  Holy  Ghost  or  not.  As  now  I  can 
judge  that  Nero,  Saul,  and  Judas,  and  such  like,  that  died  in 
sins  and  wickedness,  did  commit  this  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost :  for  they  were  wicked,  and  continued  in  their  wicked- 
ness still  to  the  very  end;  they  made  an  end  in  their  wicked- 
ness. But  we  cannot  judge  whether  one  of  us  sin  this  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  not ;  for  though  a  man  be  wicked 
at  this  time,  yet  he  may  repent,  and  leave  his  wickedness  to- 
morrow, and  so  not  commit  that  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Our  Saviour  Christ  pronounced  against  the  scribes  and  Pha- 
risees, that  they  had  committed  that  sin  against  the  Holy 
?hheheart>eof  Ghost  5  because  he  knew  their  hearts,  he  knew  they  would 
thePhan-      still  abide  in  their  wickedness  to  the  very  end  of  their  lives. 

t1  in  sin,  1562.] 

[2  But  as  long-  as  we  be  here,  we  may  cry  unto  God  for  forgiveness  of 
our  sins;  and  then  no  doubt  we  shall  obtain  remission,  &c,  1584,  1607.] 


XXV.J  PARABLE    OF    A     KING    THAT    MARRIED    HIS    SOX.  463 

But  we  cannot  pronounce  this  sentence  against  any  man,  for 
we  know  not  the  hearts  of  men :  he  that  sinneth  now,  perad- 
venture  shall  be  turned  to-morrow,  and  leave  his  sins,  and  so 
be  saved.     Further,  the  promises  of  our  Saviour  Christ  are  Christy  are 
general;  they  pertain  to  all  mankind:  he  made  a  general  seneral- 
proclamation,  saying,    Qui  credit  in  me,  habet  vitam  ceter- 
nam;  "Whosoever  believeth  in  me  hath  everlasting   life." 
Likewise  St  Paul  saith,   Gratia  exsuperat  supra  peccatum; 
"  The  grace  and  mercies  of  God  exceedeth  far  our   sins." 
Therefore  let  us  ever  think  and  believe  that  the  grace  of 
God,    his   mercy  and    goodness,    exceedeth   our    sins.     Also 
consider  what  Christ  saith  with  his  own  mouth :    Venite  ad  Mattel. 
me,  omnes  qui  laboratis,  £c.    "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  *£** 
labour  and  are  laden,  and  I  will  ease  you."     Mark,  here  he 
saith,  "  Come  all  ye  :"  wherefore  then  should  any  body  de- 
spair, or  shut  out   himself   from  these   promises  of   Christ, 
which  be  general,  and  pertain  to  the  whole  world  ?     For  he 
saith,  "  Come  all  unto  me."     And  then  again  he  saith,  Refo- 
cillabo  vos,  "  I  will  refresh  you :"  you  shall  be  eased  from 
the  burdens  of  your   sins.     Therefore,  as  I  said  before,  he  ^continue 
that  is  blasphemous,  and  obstinately  wicked,  and  abideth  in  «$»*™ 
his  wickedness  still  to  the  very  end,  he  sinneth  against  the  Hoiy  Ghost. 
Holy  Ghost;  as  St  Augustine3,  and  all  other  godly  writers  do 
affirm.      But  he  that  leaveth  his  wickedness  and  sins,  is  con- 
tent to  amend  his  life,  and  then  believing  in  Christ,  seeketh 
salvation  and  everlasting  life  by  him,  no  doubt  that  man  or 
woman,  whosoever  he  or  they  be4,  shall  be  saved :  for  they 
feed  upon  Christ,  upon  that  meat  that  God  the  Father,  this 
feast-maker,  hath  prepared  for  all  his  guests. 

You  have  heard  now  who  is  the  maker  of  this  feast  or 
banquet :  and  again,  you  have  heard  what  meat  is  prepared 
for  the  guests ;  what  a  costly  dish  the  house-father  hath 
ordained  at  the  wedding  of  his  son.  But  now  ye  know, 
that  where  there  be5  great  dishes  and  delicate  fare,  there  be 
commonly  prepared  certain  sauces,  which  shall  give  men  a 
great  lust  and  appetite  to  their  meats ;  as  mustard,  vinegar,  ^eetmeat 
and  such  like  sauces.      So  this  feast,  this  costly  dish,  hath  its  sour  sauce. 

[3  Sermo  lxxi.  de  Verb.  Evang.  Matt.  xii.  Oper.  Tom.  v.  col.  275. 
Edit.  Bened.  Antwerp.  1700.  In  this  sermon  St  Augustine  states  the 
different  opinions  held  on  the  suhject  in  question.] 

[4  whosoever  they,  1562.]  [5  where  be,  1584.] 


ven  must  be 
saucy. 


464  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [SERM. 

sauces ;  but  what  bo  they  ?  Marry,  the  cross,  affliction,  tri- 
bulation, persecution,  and  all  manner  of  miseries  :  for,  like  as 
sauces  make  lusty  the  stomach  to  receive  meat,  so  affliction 
stirreth  up  in  us  a  desire  to  Christ.  For  when  wo  be  in 
quietness,  we  are  not  hungry,  we  care  not  for  Christ :  but 
when  we  be  in  tribulation,  and  cast  in  prison,  then  we  have 
a  desire  to  him ;  then  we  learn  to  call  upon  him  ;  then  we 
hunger  and  thirst  after  him  ;  then  we  are  desirous  to  feed 
upon  him.  As  long  as  we  be  in  health  and  prosperity,  we 
care  not  for  him ;  we  be  slothful,  we  have  no  stomach  at  all ; 
and  therefore  these  sauces  are  very  necessary  for  us.  We 
have  a  common  saying  amongst  us,  when  we  see  a  fellow 
sturdy,  lofty,  and  proud,  men  say,  "  This  is  a  saucy  fellow  ;" 
signifying  him  to  be  a  high-minded  fellow,  which  taketh  more 
upon  him  than  he  ought  to  do,  or  his  estate  requireth :  which 
thing,  no  doubt,  is  naught  and  ill ;  for  every  one  ought  to 
behave  himself  according  unto  his  calling  and  estate.  But 
He  timt  win  he  that  will  be  a  christian  man,  that  intendeth  to  come  to 

come  to  hea- 

hcaven,  must  be  a  saucy  fellow  ;  he  must  be  well  powdered 
with  the  sauce  of  affliction,  and  tribulation ;  not  with  proud- 
ness  and  stoutness,  but  with  miseries  and  calamities  :  for  so  it 
is  written,  Omnes  qui  pie  volunt  vivere  in  Christo  persecu- 
tionem  patientur ;  "  Whosoever  will  live  godly  in  Christ,  he 
shall  have  persecution  and  miseries :"  he  shall  have  sauce 
enough  to  his  meat.  Again,  our  Saviour  saith,  Qui  vult 
meus  esse  discipulus,  abneget  semetipsum  et  tollat  crucem 
suam  et  sequatur  me ;  "  lie  that  will  be  my  disciple  must 
deny  himself  and  take  his  cross  upon  him,  and  follow  me." 
Is  there  any  man  that  will  feed  upon  mo,  that  will  eat  my 
flesh  and  drink  my  blood  ?  Let  him  forsake  himself.  0 
this  is  a  great  matter ;  this  is  a  biting  thing,  the  denying  of 
my  own  will !  As  for  an  cnsample  :  I  see  a  fair  woman,  and 
conceive  in  my  heart  an  ill  appetite  to  commit  lechery  with 
her  ;  I  desire  to  fulfil  my  wanton  lust  with  her.  Here  is 
my  appetite,  my  lust,  my  will :  but  what  must  I  do  ?  Marry, 
I  must  deny  myself,  and  follow  Christ.  What  is  that  ?  I 
must  not  follow  my  own  desire,  but  the  will  and  pleasure  of 
Christ.  Now  what  saith  he?  Non  fornicaberis,  non  adulte- 
raberis;  "  Thou  shalt  not  be  a  whoremonger,  thou  shalt  not 
be  a  wedlock-breaker."  Here  I  must  deny  myself,  and  my 
will,  and  give  place  unto  his  will ;  abhor  and  hate  my  own 


Wo  must 
deny  our 


XXV.]         PARABLE    OF    A     KING    TI1AT    MARRIED    HIS    SON.  465 

will.  Yea,  and  furthermore  I  must  earnestly  call  upon  him, 
that  he  will  give  me  grace  to  withstand  my  own  lust  and 
appetite,  in  all  manner  of  things  which  may  be  against  his 
will :  as  when  a  man  doth  me  wrong,  taketh  my  living  from 
me,  or  hurteth  me  in  my  good  name  and  fame,  my  will  is  to 
avenge  myself  upon  him,  to  do  him  a  foul  turn  again  ;  but 
what  saith  God?  Mihi  vindicta,  eqo  retribuam ;  "  Unto  me  wemust 

'     J  leave  the 


<;,.<! 


enge to 


belongeth  vengeance,  I  will  recompense  the  same."  Now 
here  I  must  give  over  my  own  will  and  pleasure,  and  obey 
his  will :  this  I  must  do,  if  I  will  feed  upon  him,  if  I  will 
come  to  heaven.  But  this  is  a  bitter  thing,  a  sour  sauce,  a 
sharp  sauce ;  tins  sauce  maketh  a  stomach :  for  when  I  am 
injured  or  wronged,  or  am  in  other  tribulation,  then  I  have  a 
great  desire  for  him,  to  feed  upon  him,  to  be  delivered  from 
trouble,  and  to  attain  to  quietness  and  joy. 

There  is   a  learned  man  which  hath  a  saying  which  is 
most  true :  he  saith,  Plus  crux  quam  tranquillitas  invitat  The  pr°ss 

2  .  .  ealleth  us  to 

ad  Christum ;  "  The  cross  and  persecution  bring  us  sooner  to  Christ- 
Christ  than  prosperity  and  wealth."  Therefore  St  Peter 
saith,  Humiliamini  sub  potenti  manu  Dei  ;  "  Humble  your- 
selves under  the  mighty  hand  of  God."  Look,  what  God 
layeth  upon  you,  bear  it  willingly  and  humbly.  But  you 
will  say,  "I  pray  you,  tell  me  what  is  my  cross?"  Answer : 
This  that  God  layeth  upon  you,  that  same  is  your  cross ;  not 
that  which  you  of  your  own  wilfulness  lay  upon  yourselves:  The  cross  that 

«/  «/  _  <J        l  «/  ^       men  lay 

as  there  was  a  certain   sect  which  were  called  Flagellarii1,  ui?onthem- 

c  ;  selves  is  not 

which  scourged  themselves  with  whips  till  the  blood  ran  from  Christ's  cross- 
their  bodies  ;  this  was  a  cross,  but  it  was  not  the  cross  of 
God.  No,  no  :  he  laid  not  that  upon  them,  they  did  it  of 
their  own  head.  Therefore  look,  what  God  layeth  upon  me, 
that  same  is  my  cross,  which  I  ought  to  take  in  good  part ; 
as  when  I  fall  in  poverty,  or  in  miseries,  I  ought  to  be  con- 

\}  This  fanatical  sect  sprung  up  in  Italy  about  the  middle  of  the 
thirteenth  century,  and  from  thence  was  propagated  throughout  most 
of  the  countries  in  Europe.  These  Flagellants  however  were  the 
cause  of  so  many  impieties  and  tumults,  that  it  became  necessary 
to  repress  them.  Yet  the  sect  revived,  at  intervals,  during  the  four- 
teenth and  fifteenth  centuries,  in  a  still  more  turbulent  form,  and 
holding  more  and  more  wild  opinions,  until  it  was  exterminated  by 
the  Inquisition.  Mosheim,  Eccl.  Hist.  cent.  xm.  part  n.  chap.  3. 
sect.  3 :  cent.  xiv.  part  n.  chap.  5.  sect.  7 :  cent.  xv.  part  n.  chap  5. 
sect.  5.] 

r  i  30 

[LATIMER.] 


466  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

God  hath  tent  withal;  when  my  neighbour  doth  me  wrong,  taketh 
'' "  '  <  away  my  goods,  robbcth  mo  of  my  good  name  and  fame,  I 
tempted  with  sna]i  ]jCar  ft  willingly,  considering  that  it  is  God's  cross,  and 

divers  temp-  o  <J  o 

tations.  ^]ia^  nothino-  can  be  done  against  me  without  his  permission. 
There  falleth  never  a  sparrow  to  the  ground  without  his 
permission  ;  yea,  not  a  hair  falleth  from  our  head  without 
his  will.  Seeing  then  that  there  is  nothing  done  without  his 
will,  I  ought  to  bear  this  cross  which  he  layeth  upon  me 
willingly,  without  any  murmuring  or  grudging. 

But  I  pray  you,  consider  these  words  of  St  Peter  well : 

Humiliamini  sub  potenti  manu  Dei ;  "  Humble  yourselves 

under  the  mighty  hand  of  God."     Here  St  Peter  signifieth 

God's  hand  is  unto  us  that  God  is  a  mighty  God,  which  can  take  away  the 

cross  from  us  when  it  seemeth  him  good ;  yea,  and  he '  can 

send  patience  in  the  midst  of  all  trouble  and  miseries.      St 

Paul,  that  elect  instrument  of  God,  shewed  a  reason  wherefore 

The  cause      God  layeth  afflictions  upon  us,  saying  :  Corripimur  a  Domino, 

layeth         ne  cum  mundo  condemnemur ;   "We  are  chastened  of  the 

those  that     Lord,  lest  we  should  be  condemned  with  the  world."     For 

you  see  by  daily  experience,  that  the  most  part  of  wicked  men 

are  lucky  in  this  world  ;  they  bear  the  swing,  all  things  goeth 

after  their  minds  ;  for  God  letteth  them  have  their  pleasures 

The  mme      here.      And  therefore  this2  is  a  common  saying,  "  The  more 

->— ]  the  . 

ueky.  wicked,  the  more  lucky  :"  but  they  that  pertain  to  God,  that 
shall  inherit  everlasting  life,  they  must  go  to  the  pot;  they 
must  suffer  here,  according  to  that  scripture,  Judicium  a 
domo  Dei  incipit ;  "  The  judgment  of  God  beginneth  at  the 
house  of  God."  Therefore  it  cometh  of  the  goodness  of  God, 
when  we  be  put  to  taste  the  sauce  of  tribulation :  for  he 
doth  it  to  a  good  end,  namely,  that  we  should  not  be  con- 
demned with  this  wicked  world.  For  these  sauces  are  very 
good  for  us  ;  for  they  make  us  more  hungry  and  lusty  to 
come  to  Christ  and  feed  upon  him.  And  truly,  when  it  goeth 
well  with  us,  we  forget  Christ,  our  hearts  and  minds  are  not 
upon  him :  therefore  it  is  better  to  have  affliction  than  to  be 
in  prosperity.  For  there  is  a  common  saying,  Vexatio  dat 
intellectum ;  "  Vexation  giveth  understanding.'"  David,  that 
excellent  king  and  prophet,  saith,  Bonum  est  mihi  quad 
humiliasti  me,  Domine :  "  Lord,"  saith  he,  "  it  is  good  for 
me  that  thou  hast  pulled  down  my  stomach,  that  thou  hast 
['  yea  he  can,  1584,  1607.]  [2  there,  1562.] 


kicked,  the 
more 


It  is  better  to 
have  afflic- 
tion than 
prosperity. 


sauce  for 


XXV.]  PARARLE     OF    A     KING    THAT    MARRIED    HIS    SOX.  467 

humbled  me."     But  I  pray  you,  what  sauce  had  David,  how  David  had 

was   he  humbled?    Truly    thus3:    his   own    son  defiled  his  meat tohis 

daughter.     After  that,  Absalom,  one  other  of  his  sons,  killed 

his  own  brother.      And  this  was  not  enough,   but  Ins   own 

son  rose  up  against  him,  and  traitorously  cast  him  out  of  his  2  sam.  xvi. 

kingdom,  and  denied  his  wives 4  in  the  sight  of  all  the  people. 

Was  not  he  vexed  ?  had  he  not  sauces  ?  Yes,  yes  :  yet  for 

all  that  he  crieth  not  out  against  God ;  he  murmured  not, 

but  saith,  Bonum  est  mihi  quod  humiliasti  one;  "Lord,  it  is 

good    for    me  that  thou  hast  humbled  me,  that  thou  hast 

brought  me  low."     Therefore  when  wo  be  in  trouble,  let  us 

be  of  good  comfort,  knowing  that  God  doth  it  for  the  best. 

But  for  all  that,  the  devil,  that  old  serpent,  the  enemy  of  Thedeviiia- 

i-iii  i  i-i  1     •  i  •     boureth  still 

mankind,  doth  what  he  can  day  and  night  to  bring  us  this  to  > 
sauce,  to  cast  us  into  persecution,  or  other  miseries :  as  it 
appeareth  in  the  gospel  of  Matthew,  where  our  Saviour  cast- 
ing him  out  of  a  man,  seeing  that  he  could  do  no  more  harm, 
he  desired  Christ  to  give  liim  leave  to  go  into  the  swine  ;  and 
so  he  cast  them  all  into  the  sea.  Where  it  appeareth,  that 
the  devil  studieth  and  seeketh  all  manner  of  ways  to  hurt  us, 
either  in  soul,  or  else  in  body.  But  for  all  that,  let  us  not  to  consider 
despair,  but  rather  lift  up  our  hearts  unto  God,  desiring  his  comfortable. 
help  and  comfort ;  and  no  doubt,  when  we  do  so,  he  will 
help  :  he  will  either  take  away  the  calamities,  or  else  miti- 
gate them,  or  at  the  leastwise  send  patience  into  our  hearts, 
that  we  may  bear  it  willingly. 

Now  you  know,  at  a  great  feast,  when  there  is  made  a  The  latter 

J  o  course  al  tin . 

delicate  dinner,  and  the  guests  fare  well,  at  the  end  of  the  *'cast 
dinner  they  have  bellaria,  certain  subtleties,  custards,  sweet 
and  delicate  things  :  so  when  we  come  to  this  dinner,  to  this 
wedding,  and  feed  upon  Christ,  and  take  Ins  sauces  which 
he  hath  prepared  for  us,  at  the  end  cometh  the  sweetmeat. 
What  is  that  ?  Marry,  remission  of  sins,  and  everlasting  life  ; 
such  joy,  that  no  tongue  can  express,  nor  heart  can  think, 
which  God  hath  prepared  for  all  them  that  come  to  this 
dinner,  and  feed  upon  his  Son,  and  taste  of  his  sauces.  And 
this  is  the  end  of  this  banquet.  This  banquet,  or  marriage- 
dinner,  was  made  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  world.  God  This  mar 
made  this  marriage  in  paradise,  and  called  the  whole  world  made  in 

, .  .       paradise. 

unto  it,  saying,    Semen   muheris   conteret  caput  serpentis ; 
p  Marry  this.  1562.]  [4  wife,  L562.] 

30—2 


468  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

"  The   Seed  of  the  woman  shall   vanquish  the  head  of  the 

serpent."     This  was  the  first  calling ;  and  this  calling  stood 

unto  the  faithful  in  as  good  stead  as  it  doth  unto  us,  which 

have   a   more  manifest    calling.      Afterward  Almighty  God 

Abraham  was  called  again  with  these  words,  speaking  to  Abraham :  Ego  ero 

marriage" thls  Deus  tuus  et  seminis  tui  post  te;  "I  will  be  thy  God,  and 

thy  seed's  after  thee."     Now   what  is  it  to  be  our   God? 

Forsooth '  to  be  our  defender,  our  comforter,  our  deliverer, 

and  helper.      Who  was  Abraham's  seed  ?    Even  Christ  the 

Son  of  God,  he  was  Abraham's  seed :  in  him,  and  through 

him,  all  the  world  shall  be  blessed  ;  all  that  believe  in  him, 

all  that  come  to  this  dinner,  and  feed  upon  him.     After  that, 

all  the  prophets,  their  only  intent  was  to  call  the  people  to 

this  wedding.     Now  after  the  time  was  expired  which  God 

had  appointed,  he  said,  Venite,  parata  sunt  omnia  ;  "  Come, 

all  things  are  ready." 

John  Baptist         But  who  are  these  callers  ?    The  first  was  John  Baptist, 

Fhi^meat0     which  not  only  called  with  his  mouth,  but  also  shewed  with 

finger.         his  finger  that  meat  which  God  had  prepared  for  the  whole 

world.    He  saith,  Ecce  Agnus  Dei  qui  tollit  peccata  mundi  ; 

"  Lo,  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 

world."     Also  Christ  himself  called,  saying,   Venite  ad  me, 

Matt.xi.       omnes  qui  labor atis ;  "Come  to  me,  all  ye  that  travail  and 

labour,  and  I  will  refresh  you."     Likewise  the  apostles  cried, 

and  called  all  the  whole  world ;  as  it  is  written,  Exivit  sonus 

eorum  per  universam  terram;  "Their  sound  is  gone  through - 

The  reward    out  all  the  world."     But,  I  pray  you,  what  thanks  had  they 

havewhicli    for  their  calling,  for  their  labour?  Verilv2  this:  John  Baptist 

be  the  callers  °  . 

of  the  guests.  Was  beheaded;  Christ  was  crucified;  the  apostles  were  killed: 
this  was  their  reward  for  their  labours.  So  all  the  preachers 
shall  look  for  none  other  reward :  for  no  doubt  they  must  be 
sufferers,  they  must  taste  of  these  sauces :  their  office  is, 
Preaching  is  arguere  mundum  de  peccato,  "to  rebuke  the  world  of  sin;" 
office"  less  which  no  doubt  is  a  thankless  occupation.  Ut  audiant 
monies  judicia  Domini,  "  That  the  high  lulls,"  that  is,  great 
princes  and  lords,  "  may  hear  the  judgments  of  the  Lord :" 
they  must  spare  no  body ;  they  must  rebuke  high  and  low, 
when  they  do  amiss ;  they  must  strike  them  with  the  sword 
of  God's  word :  which  no  doubt  is  a  thankless  occupation ; 
yet  it  must  be  done,  for  God  will  have  it  so. 

[i  Marry,  1562.]  [2  Marry,  1562]. 


XXV.]         PARABLE    OF     A     KING    THAT    MARRIED    HIS    SON.  469 

There  be  many  men,  which  be  not  so  cruel  as  to  perse- 
cute or  to  kill  the  preachers  of  God's  word ;  but  when  they 
be  called  to  feed  upon  Christ,  to  come  to  this  banquet,  to 
leave  their  wicked  livings,  then  they  begin  to  make  their 
excuses;  as  it  appeared  here  in  this  gospel,  where  "the  first  The  excuses 

O      *  that  such  use 


said,  I  have  bought  a  farm,  and  I  must  needs  go  and  see  it ;  J^™^^, 

leave  their 
wickedness. 


I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.  Another  said,  I  have  bought 
five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  them ;  I  pray  thee 
have  me  excused.  The  third  said,  I  have  married  a  wife, 
and  therefore  I  cannot  come."  And  these  were  their  excuses. 
You  must  take  heed  that  you  mistake  not  this  text :  for  after  Take  heed  ye 
the  outward  letter  it  seemeth  as  though  no  husbandman,  no  tws  aright 
buyer  or  seller,  nor  married  man  shall  enter  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Therefore  ye  must  take  heed  that  ye  understand  it 
aright.  For  to  be  a  husbandman,  to  be  a  buyer  or  seller,  to 
be  a  married  man,  is  a  good  thing,  and  allowed  of  God :  but 
the  abuse  of  such  things  is  reproved.  Husbandman,  and 
married  man,  every  one  in  his  calling,  may  use  and  do  the 
works  of  his  calling.  The  husbandman  may  go  to  plough ; 
they  may  buy  and  sell ;  also3,  men  may  marry ;  but  they 
may  not  set  their  hearts  upon  it.  The  husbandman  may 
not  so  apply  his  husbandry  to  set  aside  the  hearing  of  the 
word  of  God ;  for  when  he  doth  so,  he  sinneth  damnably : 
for  he  more  regardeth  his  husbandry  than  God  and  his  Husbandry 
word ;  he  hath  all  lust  and  pleasure  in  his  husbandry,  which  how  us  from 
pleasure  is  naught.  As  there  be  many  husbandmen  which 
will  not  come  to  service ;  they  make  their  excuses  that  they 
have  other  business:  but  this  excusing  is  naught;  for  com- 
monly they  go  about  wicked  matters,  and  yet  they  would 
excuse  themselves,  to  make  themselves  faultless ;  or,  at  the 
least  way,  they  will  diminish  their  faults,  which  thing  itself 
is  a  great  wickedness :  to  do  wickedly,  and  then  to  defend 
that  same  wickedness,  to  neglect  and  despise  God's  word, 
and  then  to  excuse  such  doings,  like  as  these  men  do  here 
in  this  gospel.  The  husbandman  saith,  "  I  have  bought  a 
farm ;  therefore  have  me  excused :  the  other  saith,  I  have 
bought  five  yoke  of  oxen ;  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused :" 
Now  when  he  cometh  to  the  married  man,  that  same  fellow  The  married 
saith  not,  "Have  me  excused,"  as  the  others  say;  but  he  cannot  come, 
only  saith,  "  I  cannot  come.1'  Where  it  is  to  be  noted,  that 
[3  Item,  1562.] 


470  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

the  affections  of  carnal  lusts  and  concupiscence  are  the  strong- 
est above  all  the  other :  for  there  be  some  men  which  set  all 
their  hearts  upon  voluptuousness ;  they  regard  nothing  else, 
neither  God  nor  his  word ;  and  therefore  this  married  man 
saith,  "  I  cannot  come ;"  because  his  affections  are  more 
strong  and  more  vehement  than  the  other  men's  were. 

But  what  shall  be  their  reward  which  refuse  to  come  ? 
The  house-father  saith,  "  I  say  unto  you,  that  none  of  those 
men  which  were  bidden  shall  taste  of  my  supper."     With 
The  reward    these  words  Christ  our  Saviour  teacheth  us,  that  all  those 
refuse  to  'a   that  love  better  worldly  things  than  God  and  his  word  shall 
be   shut   out  from  his   supper ;    that  is  to  say,  from  ever- 
lasting joy  and  felicity :  for  it  is  a  great  matter  to  despise 
God's  word,  or  the  minister  of  the  same ;  for  the  office  of 
preaching  is   the    office   of  salvation ;    it  hath   warrants  in 
scripture,   it  is   grounded   upon   God's  word.       St   Paul  to 
st  Paul's      the  Romans  maketh  a  gradation  of  such- wise  :    Omnis  qui- 

gradation.  .  .  °  .     .  ,  J 

cimque  invocaverit  nomen  Domini  salvabitur :  quomodo 
ergo  invocabunt  in  quern  non  crediderunt,  ant  quomodo 
credent  ei  quern  non  audierunt  ?  that  is  to  say,  "  Who- 
soever shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  shall  be  saved : 
but  how  shall  they  call  upon  him,  in  whom  they  believe 
not?  How  shall  they  believe  on  him  of  whom  they  have 
not  heard  ?  How  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher  ? 
And  how  shall  they  preach,  except  they  be  sent?"  At  the 
length  he  concludeth,  saying,  Fides  ex  auditu;  "  Faith  cometh 
by  hearing."  Where  ye  may  perceive,  how  necessary  a 
tiling  it  is  to  hear  God's  word,  and  how  needful  a  thing  it 
is  to  have  preachers,  which  may  teach  us  the  word  of  God : 
for  by  hearing  we  must  come  to  faith;  through  faith  we 
must  be  justified.  And  therefore  Christ  saith  himself,  Qui 
credit  in  me,  habet  vitam  ceternam ;  "  He  that  belicveth  in 
me  hath  everlasting  life."  When  we  hear  God's  word  by 
the  preacher,  and  believe  that1  same,  then  we  shall  be 
saved :  for  St  Paul  saith,  Evangelium  est  potentia  Dei  ad 

Rom.  i.  salutem  omni  credenti ;  "  The  gospel  is  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation  to  all  that  believe ;    the  gospel  preached  is 

The  com-      God's  power  to  salvation  of  all  believers."    This  is  a  great 

insulation  of  x  .  ° 

t>reaehhi?'0f  commendation  of  this  office  of  preaching :  therefore  we  ought 
not  to  despise  it,  or  little  regard  it ;  for  it  is  God's  instru- 
['  the,  1584,  1607.] 


XXV.]         PARABLE    OF    A     KING    THAT    MARRIED    HIS    SON.  47l 

ment,  whereby  he  worketh  faith  in  our  hearts.     Our  Saviour 
saith  to  Nieodemc,  Nisi  quis  renatus  fuerit,  "  Except  a  man  John  iii. 
be  born  anew,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."     But 
how  cometh  this   regeneration?    By  hearing  and  believing 
of  the  word  of  God :   for  so  saith  St  Peter,  Renati  non  ex 
semine  mortali  corruptibili ;   "  We  are  born  anew,  not  of  1  pct.  \. 
mortal  seed,  but  of  immortal,  by  the  word  of  God."     Like- 
wise Paul  saith  in  another  place,  Visum  est  Deo  per  stulti- 
tiam  prcedicationis  salvos  facere  credentes;  "It  pleased  God 
to  save  the  believers  through  the  foolishness  of  preaching." 
But,  peradventure,  you  will  say,  "  What,  shall  a  preacher 
teach  foolishness  ?"    No,  not  so :  the  preacher,  when  he  is  a 
right  preacher,  he  preacheth  not  foolishness,  but  he  preacheth 
the  word  of  God ;  but  it  is  taken  for  foolishness,  the  world  The  worm 
esteemeth  it  for  a  trifle  :  but  howsoever  the  world  esteemeth  word  of  God 

to  be  foolish- 
it,  St  Paul  saith  that  God  will  save  his  through  it.  ness- 

Here   I   might   take   occasion  to   inveigh  against  those 

which  little  regard  the  office  of  preaching ;  which  are  wont 

to  say,  "  What  need  we  such  preachings  every  day  ?    Have 

I  not  five  wits?    I  know  as  well  what  is  good  or  ill,  as 

he  doth  that  preacheth."     But  I  tell  thee,  my  friend,  be 

not  too  hasty ;  for  when  thou  hast  nothing  to  follow  but  thy 

five  wits,  thou  shalt  go  to  the  devil  with  them.     David,  that 

holy  prophet,  said  not  so:  he  trusted  not  his  five  wits,  but  David  trusted 

i  • -i        -r  7-7  •  7  7-.  not  his  five 

he   said,   Lucerna  pedibus    meis  verbum    tuum,    JJomine ;  wits. 
"  Lord,   thy  word  is  a  lantern2  unto  my  feet."     Here  we 
learn  not  to  despise  the  word  of  God,  but  highly  to  esteem 
it,  and  reverently  to  hear  it;  for  the  holy  day  is  ordained 
and  appointed  to  none  other  tiling,  but  that  we  should  at 
that  day  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  exercise  ourselves  in 
all  godliness.     But  there  be  some  which  think  that  this  day 
is  ordained  only  for  feasting,  drinking,  or  gaming,  or  such 
foolishness ;    but    they    be    much    deceived :     this    day    was  The  right  use 
appointed  of  God  that  we  should  hear  his  word,  and  learn  days.6 
his  laws,  and  so  serve  him.     But  I  dare  say  the  devil  hath 
no  days  so  much  service  as  upon  Sundays  or  holy  days; 
which   Sundays    are    appointed  to  preaching,   and  to   hear 
God's  most  holy  word.     Therefore   God  saith  not  only  in 
his  commandments,  that  we  shall  abstain  from  working ;  but 
he  saith,  Sanctificabis,  "Thou  shalt  hallow:"  so   that  holy  Holy days- 
[2  candle,  1562.] 


472 


SERMONS     PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE. 


[SERM. 


All  mischief 
beginneth 
on  the  holy- 
days. 


God  will 
punish  one 
day. 


Plagues 
threatened 
to  such  as 
profane  the 
sabbath. 


day  keeping  is  nothing  else  but  to  abstain  from  good  works, 
and  to  do  better  works ;  that  is,  to  come  together,  and 
celebrate  the  Communion  together,  and  visit  the  sick  bodies. 
These  are  holy-day  works ;  and  for  that  end  God  command- 
ed us  to  abstain  from  bodily  works,  that  we  might  be  more 
meet  and  apt  to  do  those  works  which  he  hath  appointed 
unto  us,  namely,  to  feed  our  souls  with  his  word,  to  remem- 
ber his  benefits,  and  to  give  him  thanks,  and  to  call  upon 
him.  So  that  the  holy-day  may  be  called  a  marriage-day, 
wherein  we  are  married  unto  God  ;  which  day  is  very  needful 
to  be  kept.  The  foolish  common  people  think  it  to  be  a 
belly-cheer  day,  and  so  they  make  it  a  surfeiting  day : 
there  is  no  wickedness,  no  rebellion,  no  lechery,  but  she  hath 
most  commonly  her  beginning  upon  the  holy-day. 

We  read  a  story  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  book  of 
Numbers,  that  there  was  a  fellow  which  gathered  sticks  upon 
the  sabbath-day ;  he  was  a  despiser  of  God's  ordinances  and 
laws,  like  as  they  that  now-a-days  go  about  other  business, 
when  they  should  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  come  to  the 
Common  Prayer :  which  fellows  truly  have  need  of  sauce, 
to  be  made  more  lustier  to  come  and  feed  upon  Christ  than 
they  be.  Now  Moses  and  the  people  consulted  with  the 
Lord,  what  they  should  do,  how  they  should  punish  that 
fellow  which  had  so  transgressed  the  sabbath-day.  "  He 
shall  die,"  saith  God :  which  tiling  is  an  ensample  for  us  to 
take  heed,  that  we  transgress  not  the  law  of  the  sabbath-day. 
For  though  God  punish  us  not  by  and  by,  as  this  man  was 
punished ;  yet  he  is  the  very  self-same  God  that  he  was 
before,  and  will  punish  one  day,  either  here,  or  else  in  the 
other  world,  where  the  punishment  shall  be  everlasting. 
Likewise  in  the  seventeenth  chapter  of  the  prophet  Jeremy 
God  threateneth  his  fearful  wrath  and  anger  unto  those 
which  do  profane  his  sabbath-day.  Again,  he  promiseth 
his  favour  and  all  prosperity  to  them  that  will  keep  the 
holy  days ;  saying,  "  Princes  and  kings  shall  go  through 
thy  gates,"  that  is  to  say,  Thou  shalt  be  in  prosperity, 
in  wealth,  and  great  estimation  amongst  thy  neighbours. 
Again :  "  If  ye  will  not  keep  my  sabbath-day,  I  will  kindle 
a  fire  in  your  gates ;"  that  is  to  say,  I  will  destroy  you, 
I  will  bring  you  to  nought,  and  burn  your  cities  with  fire. 
These  words  pertain  as  well  unto  us  at  this  time,  as  they 


XXV.]  PARABLE    OF     A    KING    THAT     MARRIED    HIS    SON.  473 

pertained  to  them  at  their  time :  for  God  hateth  the  dis- 
allowing of  the  sabbath  as  well  now  as  then ;  for  he  is  and 
remaineth  still  the  old  God :  he  will  have  us  to  keep  his 
sabbath,  as  well  now  as  then :  for  upon  the  sabbath-day 
God's  seed-plough  goeth ;  that  is  to  say,  the  ministry  of  The  sabbath- 
his  word  is  executed ;  for  the  ministering  of  God's  word  ploughing 
is  God's  plough.  Now  upon  the  Sundays  God  sendeth  his 
husbandmen  to  come  and  till;  he  sendeth  his  callers  to 
come  and  call  to  the  wedding,  to  bid  the  guests ;  that  is, 
all  the  world  to  come  to  that  supper.  Therefore,  for  the 
reverence  of  God,  consider  these  things :  consider  who  call- 
eth,  namely,  God ;  consider  again  who  be  the  guests ;  all 
ye.  Therefore  I  call  you  in  God's  name,  come  to  this 
supper ;  hallow  the  sabbath-day ;  that  is,  do  your  holy- 
day  work,  come  to  this  supper ;  for  this  day  was  appointed 
of  God  to  that  end,  that  his  word  should  be  taught  and 
heard.  Prefer  not  your  own  business  therefore  before  the 
hearing  of  the  word  of  God.  Remember  the  story  of  that 
man  which  gathered  sticks  upon  the  holy  day,  and  was 
put  to  death  by  the  consent  of  God :  where  God  shewed 
himself  not  a  cruel  God,  but  he  would  give  a  warning  unto 
the  whole  world  by  that  man,  that  all  the  world  should 
keep  holy  his  sabbath-day. 

The  almighty  ever-living  God  give  us  grace  to  live  so  in 
this  miserable  world,  that  we  may  at  the  end  come  to  the 
great  sabbath-day,  where  there  shall  be  everlasting  joy  and 
gladness !     Amm. 


474  SERMONS    I'REACHKD    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE. 


THE  SECOND  SERMON  OF  MASTER  LATIMER'S. 


MATTHEW  V.  [1,  2,  3.] 

Videns  autem  Jesus  turbas  ascendit  in  montem,  et  cum  consedlsset,  §c. 

Read  in  the    When  Jesus  saw  the  people,  he  went  up  into  a  mountain,  and  when  he 
Ausaints.0"         was  set  down,  his  disciples  came  unto  him :   and  he  opened  his 
mouth,  and  taught  them,  saying,  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit. 


Dearly  beloved  in  our  Saviour  Christ,  I  have  to  tell  you 
at  this  present  time  of  a  certain  pilgrimage,  which  may  be 
called  the  christian  man's  pilgrimage :  but  ye  shall  not  think 
that  I  will  speak  of  the  popish  pilgrimage,  which  we  were 
wont  to  use  in  times  past,  in  running  hither  and  thither  to 
Mr  John  Shorn1,  or  to  our  Lady  of  Walsingham2.  No,  no ; 
I  will  not  speak  of  such  fooleries,  but  I  will  speak  of  such  a 
pilgrimage,  which  our  Saviour  Christ  himself  taught  us,  being 

f1  A  saint  whose  head  quarters  were  probably  in  tho  parish  of 
Shorn  and  Merston  near  Gravesend,  but  who  seems  to  have  had 
shrines  in  other  parts  of  the  country.  He  was  chiefly  popular  with 
persons  who  suffered  from  ague.  Thus  one  of  the  visitors  of  monas- 
teries writes  to  lord  Cromwell:  "At  Merston  Mr  Johan  Schorn  stondith 
blessing  a  bote,  whereunto  they  do  say  he  conveyd  the  devill.  He  is 
moch  sowzt  for  the  agow."  Letters  relating  to  the  suppression  of  tho 
Monasteries,  p.  218.] 

[2  Lambarde  (in  the  reign  of  queen  Elizabeth)  describes  "  Walsing- 
ham in  Norfolk,"  as  a  town  that  "  encreased  hastely  at  the  first  by  the 
haunt  of  simple  people  that  flocked  thither  on  pilgrimage  to  an  idol, 
erected  to  the  name  of  the  blessed  virgin  Marie."  This  "  idol,"  which 
was  demolished  in  1538,  was  formerly  in  so  great  repute,  that  few 
persons  who  had  opportunity  neglected  to  go  on  pilgrimage  to  "  our 
Lady  of  Walsingham;"  and  a  yearly  offering  at  her  shrine  was  re- 
garded as  essential  to  worldly  prosperity.  Some  idea  may  be  formed 
of  the  large  amount  of  money  thus  contributed,  from  a  letter  to  Lord 
Cromwell,  which  informs  him  "  that  frome  the  Satredaye  at  night  tyll 
the  Sondaye  next  folowinge  was  offred  at  ther  now  beinge  c.xxxiijs. 
iiijd.  over  and  besyd  waxc."  Lambarde,  Dictionar.  Anglia?,  &c.  p.  451. 
Letters  relating  to  the  suppression  of  Monasteries,  p.  138.  See  also 
Camden,  Britannia,  edit,  by  Gibson,  col.  391.  Lond.  1695:  Early 
Writings  of  Bp.  Hooper,  p.  40.     Park.  Soc.  Edit.] 


XXVI.]  ON'     Tilli    GOSPEt    OF    ALL    SAINTS.  475 

here  present  with  us,  with  his  own  mouth.     Therefore,  who- 
soever will  conic  to  the  eternal  felicity,  must  go  that  pilgrim-  A  necessary 

*  &  r    &  pilgrimage, 

age ;  else  lie  snail  never  attain  thereunto. 

Cum  vidisset  autem  turbos,  "  When  he  saw  the  people." 
It  appeareth  by  the  end  of  the  fourth  of  Matthew,  that  our 
Saviour  had  walked  throughout  all  Galilee,  and  had  done 
many  miracles,  bo  that  the  fame  of  him  went  throughout  all 
the  country ;  and  there  gathered  a  great  number  of  people 
together  to  hear  him.  He  seeing  the  people,  how  hungry 
they  were,  conveyed  himself  into  a  higher  place,  and  his  dis- 
ciples came  unto  him,  and  he  taught  them :  but  not  only  the 
disciples,  but  also  the  whole  people ;  for  Luke  saith,  Docebat 
audiente  populo;  "He  preached,  the  people  hearing  it." 
Also3,  et  turba  odmirabatur  super  doctrina  illius ;  "  And 
the  people  marvelled  because  of  his  doctrine."  How  could 
they  marvel,  if  they  had  not  heard  it  ?  So  it  appeareth,  that 
Christ  made  his  sermon  not  only  to  his  disciples,  but  also  to 
the  whole  people :  yet  specially  he  taught  his  disciples,  to 
that  end  that  they  might  teach  afterwards  to  others ;  for  he 
taught  them  such  doctrine  which  he  would  have  taught  to4 
the  whole  world,  therefore  he  so  diligently  taught  them. 
For  though  he  made  many  sermons,  yet  these  two  sermons,  Twosemions, 
the  one  in  Matthew,  and  the  other  in  Luke,  ought  to  be  re-  mSd  the 
garded  most  above  all  others ;  for  they  contain  the  sum  of  a  christians 
christian  man's  life. 

Now  our  Saviour  seeing  them  so  hungry,  what  doth  he  ? 
The  evangelist  saith,  Aperuit  os  mum ;  "  He  opened  his 
mouth,  and  taught  them."  Our  Saviour  did  not  only  send 
out  Ins  apostles  to  preach  and  teach  the  people ;  but  also  he 
opened  his  own  mouth,  and  taught  the  people  his  own  self. 
Which  act  of  our  Saviour  is  to  the  reproach  of  our  lordly 
prelates ;  which  in  a  manner  disdain  to  preach  themselves, 
in  their  own  persons;  but  they  think  it  to  be  enough  to  have 
one  or  two  pertaining  unto  them,  which  preach  in  them  dio- 
ceses ;  they  themselves  being  occupied  in  worldly  business. 
Our  Saviour  did  not  so ;  he  opened  his  own  mouth,  and 
taught  the  people.      Certainly  this  ensample  of  our  Saviour  our  prelates 

?i  i  i ii»  i  i.i  -i    •         f       benot better 

ought  better  to  be  considered  ot  our  prelates  than  it  is ;  tor  than  Christ, 

they  be  not  better  than  Christ  was.  Christ  hath  sent  them, 

and  given  unto  them  a  commission  to  preach  :  wherefore  dis- 
[3  Item,  1562.]  [»  all,  1562.] 


eth  men  to 
go  on  pi 

grimage. 


476  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [SEBM. 

dain  they  then  to  open  their  mouth,  and  teach  the  people  ? 
Seeing  that  our  Saviour  himself  taught,  how  will  they  be 
excused  when  they  shall  make  account  for  their  doings  ? 
What  shall  be  their  reward  for  their  slothfulness?  No  doubt, 
everlasting  damnation  hangeth  over  their  heads. 

Now  our  Saviour  opening  his  mouth,  what  taught  he 
Christ  teach-  them?  Forsooth1  he  taught  them  a  pilgrimage,  the  christian 
man's  pilgrimage.  And  this  is  a  good  and  true  pilgrimage 
that  he  taught ;  for  this  pilgrimage  standeth  not  in  running 
hither  and  thither :  no,  no :  this  is  a  right  pilgrimage,  but 
there  is  strange  gear  in  it ;  yea,  such  gear,  that  if  I  should 
say  it  of  my  own  head,  you  would  not  believe  me,  you  would 
say  I  he :  for  it  agreeth  not  with  our  mother  wit,  we  cannot 
compass  this  gear  with  our  natural  wit ;  therefore  we  must 
consider  who  speaketh  it,  and  so  captivate  our  reason  and  wit 
to  the  wisdom  of  God.  Now  Christ,  the  eternal  Son  of  God, 
he  teacheth  us  this  pilgrimage:  of  which  God  the  Father 
himself  saith,  Hie  est  Filius  mens  dilectus,  in  quo  mihi  bene 
complacitwn  est;  ipsum  audite;  "This  is  my  well-beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased  ;  hear  him."  Seeing,  then, 
that  the  Almighty  God  commanded  us  to  hear  him,  we  ought 


In'htlv 
Clll'lsf: 


if  L'.iril 


doc-  not  to  regard  his  doctrine  little,  to  esteem  and  value  it  for 


nothing  ;  but  most  highly  to  esteem  it  as  the  unfallible  word 
of  God.  Now  what  saith  he  ?  Beati  pauperes  spiritu, 
quoniam  ipsorum  est  regnum  ccelorum ;  "  Blessed  be  the  poor 
in  spirit2,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  &c. 

I  intend  to  be  very  short ;  else  I  could  not  have  time  to 

go  through  all  tilings  that  pertain  to  this  pilgrimage.    Tins  is 

a  primage  a  pilgrimage  of  eight  miles,   or  of  eight  days'  journeys :  all 

journey  or ys  tilings  that  pertain  unto  it  are  comprehended  in  eight  points. 

Our  Saviour  saith,  Beati  pauperes,  "  Blessed  be  the  poor." 

This  is  contrary  to  our  reason :  for  who  would  think  poverty 

to  be  a  blessedness  ?     Who  is  he  that  would  not  rather  be 

rich  than  poor  ?     To  be  rich  is  a  blessedness  in  our  eyes  ;  to 

be  poor  is  an  unhappiness  in  our  minds :  but  we  must  subdue 

our  judgments.     We  esteem  it  to  be  a  cursedness  to  be  poor. 

Well,  our    Saviour  saith,    "  Blessed  are  the    poor."     Luke 

hath  no  more  but  these  words :  Matthew  addeth,  Spiritu, 

"  In  the  spirit."      These  eight  miles,  or  days'  journeys,  may 

be  called  paradoxa ;  that  is  to  say,  inopinable,  incredible, 

[i  Marry,  1562.]  [2  in  the  spirit,  1562.] 


to  hear  the 
ord  of  God. 


XXVI.]  ON     THK    GOSPEL    OF     ALL    BAINTS.  477 

and  unbelievable  saying's :   for  if  Christ  had  not  spoken  it  To  s»y  oat 

**       "  poverty  is 

himself,  who   should  have  believed  it?     For  we  see  daily  a'wr^dSo1' 
before  our  eyes  what  a  miserable  thing  is  poverty ;  therefore 
our  nature  is  ever  given  to  avoid  poverty,  and  to  come  to 
riches.     But  Christ  saith,  Beati  pauperes ;  "  Blessed  be  the 
poor  in  spirit,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  theirs." 

The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  taken  sometimes  for  the  office  The  kingdom 
of  preaching ;  as  when  he  compared  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ^™f°rthe 
to  "a  net    that  catcheth    good  and  bad  fishes:"  there  he  preachi"8- 
meaneth  the  office  of  preaching.     Sometimes  it  is  taken  for 
eternal  felicity,  winch   Christ   our   Saviour  merited  for  us. 
When  John  Baptist  sendeth  his  disciples  unto  Christ  to  ask 
him  whether  he  be  Christ  or  not,  he  told  them  what  miracles 
he  had  done ;  and  amongst  other  things  he  said,  Pauperes 
evangelizant,  "The  poor  hear  the  gospel:"  meaning,  that  The  poor  be 
the  poor  be  more  willing  to  hear  the  gospel,  they  take  more  t0 
pain  in  hearing  God's  word,  than  the  rich  do ;  for  the  rich 
commonly  least  regard  the    gospel.      Look  throughout    all 
England,  and  you  shall  find  it  so.     Likewise  he  saith  by  the 
prophet,  Ad  evangelizandum   pauperibus  misit  me;    "  He 
hath  sent  me  to  preach  the  gospel  unto  the  poor ;"  because 
the  poor  hath  more  pleasure  in  it.      The  rich  men  commonly 
regard  it  for  nothing :  therefore  it  is  a  wonderful  thing  that  it  is  marvel 
such  terrible  things  are  written  of  rich  men ;  and  yet  we  seek  so  desirous  t« 
all  to  be  rich,  and  call  them  blessed  and  happy  that  be  so. 
But  ye  heard  upon  Sunday  last,  how  that  these  rich  farmers 
made  their  excuses :   they  would  not   come  to  the  banquet 
which  God  had  prepared  for  them,  because  their  riches  did 
let  them ;  therefore  riches  are  called  "thorns"  in  scripture. 
As  for  an  ensample :  there  be  two  ways  to  a  town,  the  one  is  a  good 
plain  and  straight,  the  other  is  full  of  thorns :  now  he  that  ™d  ™et  to 

r  .  .       .  be  marked. 

goeth  the  plain  way  shall  sooner  come  to  his  journey's  end, 
than  he  that  goeth  the  thorny  way.  So  it  is  more  easier 
without  riches  to  come  to  heaven,  than  with  riches :  but  our 
nature  is  so  corrupt,  that  we  ever  desire  that  thing  that  may 
do  us  harm.  I  will  not  say  but  men  may  have  riches,  and  Mark  this 
many  good  men  have  had  great  riches :  yet  riches  must  be  men. 
had,  cum  tremore,  with  fear  ;  for  it  is  a  dangerous  thing  to 
have  them :  they  be  but  burthens ;  they  that  have  them  be 
but  bailiffs  and  stewards  over  them,  they  must  make  account 
for  them.     And  therefore   above  all  things  rich  men  must 


478  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

have  in  fresh  memory  this  scripture :    Divitim  si  affluant, 

nolite  cor  apponere ;  "  When  riches  come  upon  you,  set  not 

The  end  why  your  hearts  upon  them.'"    Use  them  to  such  end  as  God  hath 

riches  are         "  .  *■    ,  -  i     i  i 

given  to  men.  appointed.  With  your  plenty  help  the  needy  ,  the  poor 
miserable  people ;  and  this  is  our  duty  to  do :  for  he  that 
hath  riches,  and  helpeth  not  the  poor  withal,  but  layeth  them 

They  are       up  for  himself,  he  is  a  thief  before  God,  though  he  do  come 

thieves  that        1  .  ,  ° 

JheirU'ods    rightly  and  justly  by  his  goods.    For  he  doth  not  his  duty  : 
weU-  he  withdraweth  that  from  the  poor  that  pcrtaineth  unto  them ; 

for  God  requireth  of  the  rich  to  relieve  and  help  the  poor 
with  his  riches :  when  he  now  doth  it  not,  the  writers a  call 
him  a  thief.  Here  ye  see  what  a  burthen  it  is  to  have 
riches :  therefore  let  us  not  be  so  greedy  over  them ;  and 
when  we  have  them,  let  us  remember  that  we  be  but  God's 
stewards,  and  distributers  of  his  treasures. 
r^be°biessf-  You  must  mai>k  here  that  our  Saviour,  when  he  saith,' 
"  Blessed  be  the  poor,"  he  commendeth  not  the  friar's 
poverty,  that  same  wilful  poverty ;  but  if  you  be  come  to 
poverty  for  confessing  of  Christ,  then  thou  art  blessed. 
Again,  I  am  a  rich  man,  the  fire  cometh  and  taketh  away 
my  riches :  as  Job  was  a  rich  man ;  but  what  happened  ? 
His  enemy  came  and  took  away  all  together.  So  we  may 
tins  day  be  rich,  and  to-morrow  we  may  be  beggars ;  for 
the  riches  be  chanceable  unto  us,  but  not  imto  God :  for 
God  knoweth  when,  and  to  whom,  he  will  give  them,  or 
take  them  away  again.  Now  when  I  come  to  poverty  by 
chance,  so  that  God  sendeth  poverty  unto  me,  then  I  am 
blessed ;  when  I  take  poverty  well,  without  grudging.  And 
therefore  he  addeth,  Spiritu,  that  is,  to  take  it  in  good  part, 
with  a  faithful  heart,  knowing  that  God  sendeth  the  same 
unto  us :  so  that  when  we  come  to  poverty  by  such  chances, 
or  by  persecutions,  so  that  we3  cast  not  away  our4  goods 
wilfully,  as  the  friars  did,  which  was  a  leaving  of  riches 
devised  by  their  own  minds.  But  else,  he  that  doth  his 
business  according  unto  his  calling,  and  then  God  enducth 
Mm  with  poverty,  let  him5  take  it  with  joy  and  gladness : 

\}  Copie  help  the  inopk  of  the  poor,  1562.] 

[2  Reference  may  be  had  to  the  exposition  of  the  eighth  com- 
mandment, by  almost  any  of  the  contemporary  "writers"  who  treated 
of  the  Decalogue:    e.  g.  Calvin,  Instit.  ii.  8.  sect.  46.] 

[3  I,  1562,  1572.]  [4  our,  1562,  1572.]  [■">  us,  1571,  1584.] 


XXVI.]  ON     THE    GOSPEL    OF    ALL    SAINTS.  479 

for  these  blessings,  which  Christ  promised  unto  us  here  in 
this  gospel,  shall  light  upon  him6.  Therefore  take  it  so, 
that  poverty  is  a  blessing  when  sho  is  taken  with  a  faithful  How  poverty 

■I'll-.  •  isablessin 

heart;    else  indeed  it  is  to   no   purpose,  except  it  proceed  and  nownoi 
out  of  faith.      Be  not  eager,  therefore,  to  have  riches ;  and 
when   ye  have   them,  that  God  sendeth  them,  set  not  too 
much  by  them.     For  Christ  saith,  it  is  hard  for  a  rich  man 
to  come  to  heaven ;  speaking  of  those  which  set  their  hearts 
upon  riches :     which   men,  indeed,    be   very  idolaters ;     for  How  rich 
they  put  their  hope,  trust,  and  confidence  in  them ;  so  that  idolaters 
whatsoever  shall  happen,  they  think  they  will  escape,  having 
money ;    and  so  they  make  money  their  God :    which  is  a 
most  wicked  and  abominable  tiling  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord. 
For  God  would  have  us  to  hang  upon  him,  to  trust  in  him, 
be  we  poor  or  rich.     If  we  be  rich,  we  should  not  set  our 
hearts  upon  riches ;   if  we  be  poor,  we  should  comfort  our- 
selves with  this  scripture,  Non  est  inopia  timentibus  eum ; 
"  They  that  fear  him  shall  not  lack." 

Now  the   second  mile,    or   day's    journey,   in    this   pil-  The  secomi 

-,-,         .  ...  ,       day'sjour- 

grimage  is  this :  Beati  qui  lugent,  quomam  ipsi  consola-  ney. 
buntur ;  "  Blessed  arc  they  that  mourn,  for  they  shall  have 
comfort."  We,  after  our  reasons,  esteem  them  happy  that 
can  make  merry  in  this  world :  but  our  Saviour,  contrari- 
wise, pronounceth  them  blessed  that  mourn  and  weep  in  this 
world.  We  seek  all  to  be  in  that  case  that  we  might  laugh 
and  be  merry ;  for  we  think  that  to  be  a  great  blessedness : 
but  our  Saviour  pronounceth  them  blessed  that  weep.  And 
therefore  scripture  saith,  Melius  est  ire  ad  domum  luctus, 
quam  ad  domum,  convivii ;  "It  is  better  to  go  to  the  Eeci.  mi. 
mourning -house,  than  to  the  house  of  banqueting."  For 
he  that  goeth  to  sick  folks,  it  shall  be  a  good  admonition ; 
it  shall  make  him  to  consider  the  fragility  and  weakness  of 
mankind,  and  so  stir  him  up  to  make  ready,  and  not  to  set 
much  by  this  world.  St  Paul  speaketh  of  two  manner  of 
sorrowfulness ;  the  one  is  worldly,  the  other  is  ghostly.  The  whatmoum- 
worldy  sorrowfulness  is  without  faith ;  as  the  wicked,  when  make* 

J  '  .        blessed. 

they  weep,  they  arc  sorrowful :  yet  this  comfort,  of  which 
Christ  here  speaketh,  is  not  promised  unto  them.  Esau 
wept  when  Jacob  beguiled  him ;  but  his  weeping  was  without 
faith.  Truly  happy  are  those  that  have  much  occasion  to 
[6  us,  1584,  1571.] 


480 


SERMONS    PREACHED     IN     LINCOLNSHIRE. 


t- 


weep  and  wail !  For,  Vexatio  dat  intellectwm ;  "  Vexation 
and  trouble  maketh  us  to  know  ourselves,  and  teacheth  us  to 
leave  sin  and  wickedness."  There  be  many  which  be  in 
great  miseries,  shut  out  of  their  houses,  or  in  sickness,  or 
other  trouble :  they  shall  comfort  themselves  with  this  bless- 
ing, which  our l  Saviour  promiseth  unto  them ;  namely,  they 
shall  be  sure  that  they  shall  have  comfort  and  relief  of  their 
miseries ;  for  he  will  not  suffer  them  to  be  further  tempted 
than  they  shall  be  able  to  bear,  and  then  in  the  end  they 
shall  have  everlasting  comfort.  It  is  a  notable  answer  that 
Abraham  maketh  to  the  rich  man,  when  he  lay  in  hellish 
fire :  "  My  son,"  saith  he,  Recepisti  bona  in  vita,  "  Thou 
hast  received  thy  good  days  in  thy  life-time,  now  thou  shalt 
be  punished :  but  Lazarus  hath  had  miseries  and  calamities ; 
we  must  go  and  therefore  he  shall  be  comforted  now."    So  we  must  learn 

from  sorrow  . 

not'tromone  *°  content ;  to  go  from  weeping  to  laughing,  from  sorrow 
another?0  to  eternal  felicity.  But  we  must  first  suffer  here ;  we  may 
not  go  from  the  one  felicity  to  the  other:  therefore  St 
Jerome  saith,  that  "he  is  a  delicate  soldier  that  will  not 
suffer  sometimes  miseries  and  calamities2."  Therefore  let  us 
be  content  with  it;  let  us  bear  them  with  a  faithful  heart;  else 
we  shall  not  attain  to  this  comfort :  for  the  miseries  that  the 
godless  have,  operantur  mortem ;  "  They  work  their  own 
destruction,  and  everlasting  perdition."  For  they  cannot 
The  adver-  bear  them  as  they  ought  to  do ;  they  murmur  and  cry  out 
mournings,  against  God :  but  the  godly,  when  he  is  in  miseries,  he 
taketh  great  profit  by  it ;  for  miseries  drive  him  to  leave 
sin  and  wickedness,  and  to  repent  for  that  which  he  hath 
done  against  God.  Here  you  may  perceive  now,  that  they 
that  will  have  comfort  must  go  to  that  pilgrimage ;  they 
must  taste  miseries,  and  so  at  the  end  they  shall  have  ever- 
lasting comfort. 

The  third  mile  or  day's  journey,  is  this :  Beati  mites, 
quoniam  inheritabunt  terram ;  "  Blessed  be  the  meek,  for 
they  shall  inherit  the  land."  This  meekness  is  such  a  thing, 
that  whosoever  hath  her  can  be  quiet  in  all  things :  he  that 
hath  her  will  not  avenge  himself.     But  ye  must  know  there 

[l  Christ  our  Saviour,  1562.] 

[2  Sanctus  vir  et  bellator  invictus  ad  exercendum  se  et  probandum 
tribulationem  et  miseriam  venire  desideret.  Comment,  in  Abac.  c.  i. 
Oper.  Tom.  m.  col.  1594.  Edit.  Bened.  Paris.  1704.] 


The  third 
mile  or  di 
journey. 


XXVI. J  ON    THE    GOSPEL    OF    ALL    SAINTS.  481 

be  two  manner  of  vengeance.      There  is  a  private  vengeance,  T«o  man- 
and  there  is  a  public   vengeance :  the   public   vengeance  is  revenges,  the 
allowed  of  God  :  the  private  is  forbidden.      For   God  saith  and  the  other 

1  unlawful. 

to  every  private  man,  Mild  vindicta,  ego  retribuam;  "Let 
me  have  the  vengeance,  and  I  will  reward  it."  When  any 
man  doth  me  wrong,  I  shall  or  may  not  avenge  me,  nor  yet 
desire  in  my  heart  to  be  avenged  upon  him ;  I  being  a 
private  man,  and  not  a  magistrate.  But  there  is  a  public 
vengeance,  that  is,  the  magistrates':  they  must  see  that 
wrong-doers  be  punished,  and  rewarded  according  to  their 
misbehaviours.  But  I  may  not  avenge  myself.  For  I  am 
blessed  when  my  good  is  taken  from  me  wrongfully,  and  I 
take  it  well.  For  Christ  saith,  Inheritabunt  terrain,  "  They 
shall  inherit  the  land."  He  that  for  God's  sake  leaveth  his 
land,  or  his  goods,  he  shall  inherit  the  land:  so  he  shall  with 
leaving  the  land  inherit  the  land.  But  what  shall  I  do 
when  my  goods  be  taken  from  me  ?  Answer  :  go  to  God's 
promises,  which  are,  Centuplum  accipiet,  "He  shall  receive  wemust s° 
it  again  an  hundred-fold."  The  public  vengeance  is  com-  promise, 
mitted  unto  the  magistrates:  God  commandeth  unto  them 
to  punish  the  transgressors :  and  again  the  law-breaker,  or 
misdoer,  ought  to  obey,  and  to  suffer  the  punishment  which 
the  magistrates  shall  lay  upon  him ;  for  so  it  is  written, 
Auferes  malum  e  medio  popidi;  "  Thou  shalt  take  away  the 
ill  from  amongst  the  people.1"'  So  ye  hear  how  that  we  may 
not  avenge  ourselves,  when  any  man  doth  us  wrong.  Yet, 
for  all  that,  this  taketh  not  away  the  liberty  of  the  use 
of  the  law :  for  a  christian  man  may  go  to  the  law,  and 
seek  remedy.  Yet  we  must  take  heed  that  we  go  not  to  a  christian 
aveno-e    ourselves    upon    our    neighbour,    with    a    vengeable  tll'V  u.w  ■'' 

iii  -,  i  but  how. 

heart ;  nor  yet  should  we  go  with  a  covetous  heart,  to  get 
aught  of  our  neighbour  :  else  it  is  lawful  to  use  the  law, 
when  it  is  done  with  a  charitable  heart.  As  it  is  lawful  for 
me,  being  sick,  to  go  to  the  physician,  without  breach  of  my 
faith  to  God-ward;  but  if  I  should  go  to  the  physician  in 
despair  of  God,  then  this  going  were  a  wicked  going :  so 
I  say,  when  we  will  go  to  the  law,  we  must  beware  that 
it  be  done  charitably,  not  with  a  vengeable  mind ;  for  who- 
soever seeketh  to  be  avenged,  he  shall  not  be  blessed  of 
God.  Again,  whosoever  suffereth  wrong  at  his  neighbour's 
hand,  and  taketh  it  willingly,  he  shall  be  blessed  of  God. 

r  i  31 

LLATIMETt.J 


482  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

of  .iweph  !sIe  ^n  ensample  we  have  in  Joseph  :  his  brethren  sold  him,  and 
c!i!-'i:u,'.n"w  handled  him  most  cruelly  and  tyrannously  :  what  did  he? 
He  took  it  willingly,  without  any  revengement.  What  did 
God  ?  Surely  \  he  fulfilled  his  promise,  Inheritabunt  terrain, 
"  They  shall  inherit  the  land."  Therefore  he  made  him 
lord  over  all  Egypt.  This  did  God,  and  so  he  will  do  unto 
us.  But  our  hearts  are2  so  poisoned  with  the  poison  of 
malice,  that  we  think  we  should  be  undone,  if3  we  should 
not  avenge  ourselves :  but  they  that  have  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  to  whom  these  blessings  pertain,  they  will  be  charitable, 
and  yet  use  the  law  when  necessity  shall  require  so ;  but 
they  will  do  it  with  a  godly  mind.  Terrain,  "  They  shall 
inherit  the  land."  Some  expound  "  the  land"  for  eternal 
life,  but  it  may  be  understood  of  this  world  too :  for  they 
that  be  patient  and  bear  and  suifer,  God  will  reward  them 
here  in  this-  world,  and  yonder  too.  Now  ye  have  heard 
what  we  shall  have  when  we  be  meek-spirited :  let  us  there- 
fore set  aside  all  stubbornness,  all  vengeance,  hatred,  and 
malice,  one  against  another ;  so  that  we  may  obtain  that 
land  which  Christ  promised  us. 
The  fourth  Beati  qui  esuriunt  et  sitiunt  justitiam,  quoniam  ipsi 

journey.       gaturabuiitur :  "Blessed  be  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness,  for  they  shall  be  satisfied."     These  words  be 
expounded  diversely:  it  may  be  understood  thus4:   "Blessed 
be  they  that  hunger  and  thirst,"  that  is  to  say,  that  have  so 
great  a  desire  to  righteousness,  as  a  hungry  man  hath  to  his 
meat  and  drink.     Some  expound  it  of  the  justice  of  the  soul : 
for  the  faithful  be  ever  hungry,  they  ever  think  they  be  not 
well ;    they  be   sore   behind  the  hand :  and  so   do  not  the 
Hypocrites    hypocrites,  for  they  have  opera  super erogationis ;  they  have 
to3seiiT°r  s    so  much  that  they  are  able  to  sell  unto  other  men  too,  and 
bring  them  to  heaven.    But  I  will  expound  these  words  thus4: 
This  sense     they  that  hunger  be  they  that  suffer  wrong5;  for  when  a 
'.''tMuV'and  man  suffereth  wrong  and  injuries,  he  hungereth  and  thirstcth 

is  therefore  .  .  .  5  '.         .'  ,       °±   . 

tolerable.  to  have  justice,  to  come  to  his  right ;  tor  it  is  a  common  say- 
ing amongst  the  people,  "  The  law  is  ended  as  the  man  is 
friended."  Now  he  that  is  so  injured  and  wronged,  and 
hath  a  godly  hunger  and  thirst  to  righteousness,  he  shall  be 
satisfied  in  this  world ;  and  in  the  world  to  come  he  shall 

[!  Many,  1562.]  [2  heart  is,  1562.]  [3  when,  1562.] 

[*  so,  1562.]  [5  wrong  and  injuries,  1584,  1596.] 


XXVI.]  ON    THE    GOSPEL    OF    ALL     SAINTS.  483 

have  everlasting  life.  Ensamples  we  have  in  scripture.  Jo- 
seph, when  he  was  sold  to  Potiphar,  that  great  man,  ho 
was  a  fair  young  spring-old6 :  now  his  master  Potiphar's  wife, 
seeing  his  beauty,  cast  her  love  upon  him,  insomuch  that 
he  could  be  nowhere  but  she  came  after  Mm;  but  Joseph, 
fearing  God,  refused  her,  and  would  not  commit  with  her 
the  filthy  act  of  lechery.  What  followeth?  She  went  by 
and  by,  and  made  an  outcry,  and  accused  him,  as  though 
he  would  have  ravished  her.  So,  at  the  length,  Joseph  was 
cast  into  prison,  where  he  hungered  and  thirsted  after  right- JosnihJura- 

1  '  O  a  gored  after 

eousness,  after  justice ;  that  is,  he  was  desirous  to  have  his  ^teous- 
right :  yet  for  all  that  he  took  the  matter  well  and  godly, 
he  sought  not  for  vengeance.  We  in  our  foolishness  and 
mother-wits  esteem  them  blessed  that  can  use  the  matter 
so  that  the  law  may  go  with  them,  that  they  may  have  the 
overhand:  they  are  called  blessed  which  bear  the  swing, 
which  are  not  exercised  with  trouble.  I  remember  I  read 
once  a  story  of  a  bishop,  which  came  to  a  rich  man's  house  Ap  l»?*?ry 

^  r'  of  a  bishop: 

where  he  had  good  cheer,  and  the  good  man  in  the  house  bhe£,sre°ry  u 
shewed  him  all  his  riches  and  prosperities,  his  goodly  wife 
and  his  fair  children :  to  be  brief7,  they  lacked  nothing  at 
all ;  he  himself  had  never  been  sick.  The  bishop,  hearing 
that,  thought  in  his  mind,  "  No  doubt,  God  is  not  here ;" 
and  so  commanded  his  servant  to  make  ready  the  horses, 
and  by  and  by  went  his  way.  When  he  came  a  little  way8 
off  from  the  house,  he  sendeth  his  man  back  again  to  fetch 
a  book,  which  was  forgotten  behind :  when  the  servant  came, 
the  house  was  sunk.  So  we  see,  that  worldly  prosperity 
maketh  us  to  forget  God,  and  in  the  end  to  be  damned. 

Jacob,  that  holy  man,  when  he  served  Laban,  his  uncle 
and  father-in-law,  what  wrongs  had  he !  How  unjustly  dealt 
Laban  with  him !  No  doubt,  he  had  great  hunger  and  thirst  £^e£jrs£_ 
after  righteousness :  therefore  God  satisfied  his  appetite ;  for 
he  blessed  him,  and  enriched  him  wonderfully,  against  La- 
ban's  mind.  There  be  few  of  such  servants  now-a-days  as 
Jacob  was ;  and  though  he  had  a  wicked  master9,  yet  he 

[6  A  stripling  or  growing  youth :  written  also  sometimes  sprivgaf, 

and  springald.] 

p  in  summa,  1562.]  [8  far,  1562.] 

P  and  though  he  had  a  wicked  master,  omitted  in  most  of  the 

old  editions  after  1562.] 

31—2 


eou-ncv  ,. 


4S4 


SERMONS     PREACHED     IN     LINCOLNSHIRE, 


Pavid  hun- 
gered after 
righteous- 
ness. 


The  fifth 
mile,  or  da 
journey. 


Whoso  will 
obtain  mer- 
cy, must  be 
merciful. 


Magistrates 
may  not 


in  judgment. 


served  him  truly.  I  wish  all  servants  would  follow  the 
ensarnple  of  Jacob.  This  I  speak  to  make  you  patient  in 
tribulation,  and  to  stir  up  in  you  a  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness.  You  hear  how  Joseph  was  blessed  in  bear- 
ing godly  the  injuries  which  that  foolish  woman  did  unto 
him.  David  also,  0,  what  good  service  did  he  unto  king 
Saul !  Yet  Saul  went  about  to  destroy  him.  Think  ye  not 
David  hungered  and  thirsted  after  righteousness  ?  No  doubt 
he  did ;  yet  he  might  have  avenged  himself,  but  he  would 
not :  for  he  had  this  meekness  of  which  Christ  our  Saviour 
speaketh  here,  and  so  consequently  did  inherit  the  land,  ac- 
cording unto  his  promise. 

Beati  misericordes,  quoniam  ipsi  misericordiam  conse- 
quentur :  "  Blessed  be  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain 
mercy.'"  I  will  not  tarry  long  herein  :  you  know  which  be 
the  works  of  mercy.  "  I  was  hungry,"  saith  Christ,  "  I  was 
naked,"  &c.  There  is  a  ghostly  mercy,  which  is  to  admonish 
them  that  be  in  errors,  to  bring  them  to  the  right  way. 
Item,  to  forgive  them  that  do  me  wrong,  this  is  a  mercy, 
and  a  needful  mercy ;  and  therefore  they  that  will  be  cruel 
here,  so  that  they  will  not  forgive  unto  their  neighbours 
their  faults,  let  them  not  look  for  mercy  at  God's  hands. 
For  we  must  be  merciful,  loving,  and  comfortable  towards 
our  neighbour,  when  we  will  obtain  mercy  at  God's  hands. 
But  tins  seemeth  now  as  though  malefactors  ought  not  to 
be  put  to  death,  because  God  requireth  mercy.  Sir,  you 
must  understand  that  God  requireth  private  mercy;  so  that 
private  men  one  shall  forgive  unto  the  other :  but  it  is  ano- 
ther matter  with  the  magistrates.  The  king,  and  all  other 
magistrates,  are  God's  officers ;  they  must  do  according  as 
God  requireth  them  to  do.  He  saith,  Auferes  malum  e 
medio  populi,  nee  miser eberis  ei ;  "  Thou  shalt  take  away, 
thou  shalt  root  out  the  ill,  them  that  be  malefactors,  from 
amongst  the  people ;  and  shew  not  mercy  unto  them." 
Here  were  a  place  to  entreat  of  ministering  of  justice,  if 
the  audience  were  thereafter :  how  justices  of  peace  and 
other  magistrates  ought  not  to  be  bolsterers  and  bearers 
with  wickedness,  but  punish  the  malefactors  according  to 
their  deserts.  Voz  qui  justificatis  impium,  "  Wo  be  unto 
you  that  justify  the  wicked!"  To  justify  the  wicked  is 
not  to  punish  them.    Et  qui  justificat  impium,  et  qui  con- 


XXVI.]  ON    THE    GOSPEL    OF    ALL    SAINTS.  485 

demnat  justum,  ambo  abominabiles  coram  Domino:  "He 
that  justifieth  the  wicked,  and  he  that  condemneth  the  just, 
they  are  both  wicked  and  abominable  before  the  Lord." 
So  that  magistrates  ought  to  punish  sin  and  wickedness ;  a  lesson  tor 
but  private  men  one  ought  to  shew  mercy  unto  another : 
that  is,  he  ought  to  forgive  when  any  man  hath  done  him 
harm,  and  so  he  shall  have  mercy  at  God's  hand. 

Beati  mundi corde,  quoniamipsi  videbunt  Deum:  "Bless-  Thesixth 

-1  ±  mi  e,  or  day  s 

cd  be  the  clean  of  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God."     By  these  journey. 
words  we  may  perceive  that  we  shall  not  look  to  see  God,  to 
see  our  felicity,  when  we  be  impure  of  heart.     We  cannot 
come  to  that  unspeakable  joy  and  felicity  which  God  hath 
prepared  for  his,  except  we  be  clean  in  our  hearts.     There- 
fore David,  knowing  that  lesson,  saith  unto  God,  Cor  mun- 
dum  crea  in  me,  Bens;   "0    God,  make  clean  my  heart 
within  me."     But  ye  will  ask,  how  shall  our  hearts  be  pu- 
rified and   cleansed  ?      Answer  :    Fide  purificantur  corda ; 
"  Through  faith  the  hearts  of  men  must  be  cleansed."     They  Eaithmm- 
that  hear  God's  word,   and  believe  that  same  to  be  true,  heart.  e 
and  live  after  it,  their  hearts  shall  be  purified,  and  so  they 
shall  see   God.     There  be  two  manner  of  seeing  God:  as 
Ions-  as  we  be  here,  we  must  see  him  by  faith,  in  believing  God  is  seen 

(•  J*  1  T-  hcre  bV  talth' 

in  him ;  yonder,  we  shall  see  him  lace  to  tace,  how  he  is.  a^tMsrae 
Therefore  believe  here,  and  see  there.     And  so  it  appear- 
eth,  that  he  that  will  not  hear  God's  word,  and  believe  the 
same,  that  his  heart  may  be  cleansed,  he  shall  not  see  God. 

Beati  pacifici,  quoniam  ipsi  filii  Dei  vocabuntur:  "Bless-  ^seventh 
ed  be  the  peace-makers,  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  journey. 
of  God."  Here  is  another  journey.  There  is  a  law  in  Le- 
viticus1, where  God  saith,  Non  erit  susurro  nee  calumni- 
ator inpopulo;  "There  shall  not  be  a  slanderer  or  whisperer 
amongst  you  which  are  my  people."  But  I  tell  you,  this 
law  is  not  kept :  for  there  be  a  great  number2  of  those  which 
speak  fair  with  their  tongues,  as  though  they  would  creep 
into  a  man's  bosom,  but  behind  his  back,  or  before  other  men, 
they  betray  hini ;  they  lie  upon  him,  and  do  all  they  can  to 
brine:  him  out  of  estimation.     These  whisperers  be  peace- winterer* 

i  i       m    i     •  j"i      i  ■  peace- 

breakers,  and  not  peace-makers ;  for  the  devil  brmgeth  his  breakers, 
matters  to  pass  through  such  fellows.     There  be  many  such 

[i  Deuteronomy,  the  old  Editions.]  [-  many,  1562.] 


486 


SERMONS    PREACHED     IN     LINCOLNSHIRE. 


The  history 
of  Docg  the 
Edomite. 


Doeg  was 
a  peaee- 


in  England,  which  tell  false  tales  of  others  to  promote  them- 
selves withal :  these  be  the  children  of  the  devil ;  and  no 
doubt  the  devil  hath  many  children  in  the  world.  I  will 
shew  you  an  ensample.  There  was  one  Doeg  Idumeus,  a 
servant  of  Saul  the  king ;  he  was  princeps  pastor um,  "  the 
master  over  his  herdmen."  When  David,  flying  from  Saul, 
came  to  the  priest  Ahimelech  very  hungry  and  weary,  and 
therefore  desired  some  meat,  the  priest  having  none  other 
bread  but  panis  p>rop>ositionis,  "  the  holy  bread,"  of  that  he 
gave  David ;  and  after  that  he  gave  him  the  sword  of  Go- 
hath,  whom  David  had  killed  before.  Now  this  Doeg  being 
there  at  that  time,  what  doeth  he?  Like  a  whisperer,  or 
man-pleaser,  goeth  to  Saul  the  king,  and  told  him  how  the 
priest  had  refreshed  David  in  his  journey,  and  had  given 
unto  him  the  sword  of  Goliath.  Saul  hearing  that,  being 
in  a  great  fury,  sent  for  all  the  priests,  and  their  wives, 
and  their  children,  and  slew  them  all.  This  Doeg  now,  that 
whisperer,  was  not  a  peace-maker,  but  a  peace-breaker ;  and 
therefore  not  a  child  of  God,  but  of  the  devil.  I  could  tell1 
of  some  other  Doegs,  of  other  whisperers ;  for  I  have  known 
some  in  my  time  :  but  all  such  are  the  children  of  the  devil, 
they  are  not  God's  children;  for  Christ  our  Saviour  called 
those  God's  children  that  are  peace-makers,  not  them  that 
cut  their  neighbour's  throat.  Seeing  now  that  it  is  so  good  a 
thing  to  be  a  peace-maker,  let  all  them  that  be  in  superiority 
a  lessor  for   endeavour  themselves  to  be  peace-makers.     Let  the  landlords 

landlords.  x 

shew  themselves  to  be  peace-makers :  when  they  hear  of  con- 
tentions and  strifes  between  their  tenants,  send  for  them,  and 
hear  their  matters,  and  make  him  that  is  faulty  to  be  pu- 
nished ;  and  so  let  them  be  peace-makers.  But  there  be 
some  gentlemen  in  England,  which  think  themselves  born 
to  nothing  else  but  to  have  good  cheer  in  this  world,  to 
go  a  hawking  and  hunting.  I  would  wish  they  would  en- 
a  lesson  for   deavour  themselves   rather  to  be  peace-makers ;    to  counsel 

gentlemen.  J-  ' 

and  help  poor  men  ;  and,  when  they  hear  of  any  discord 
to  be  between  neighbours  and  neighbours,  to  set  them  to- 
gether at  unity  :  this  should  be  rather  their  exercise  than 
banqueting,  and  spending  the  time  in  vain.  But  they  will 
say,   "  It  is  a  great  pain  and  labour  to  meddle  in  matters, 

[i  tell  you,  1562. J 


XXVI.]  ON    THE     GOSPEL     OF     ALL     SAINTS.  487 

to  be  a  peace-maker."  Sir,  you  must  consider,  that  it  is 
a  great  matter  to  be  a  child  of  God ;  and  therefore  we 
ought  to  be  content  to  take  pains  to  be  peace-makers,  that 
we  may  be  the  children  of  God.  But  in  matters  of  religion 
we  must  take  heed  that  we  have  such  a  peace  which  may 
stand  with  God  and  liis  word ;  for  it  is  better  to  have  no 
peace  at  all,  than  to  have  it  with  the  loss  of  God's  word. 

In  the  time  of  the  Six  Articles2,  there  was  a  bishop  which 
ever  cried  "Unity,  unity:"  but  he  would  have  a  popish  unity.  Peace  in 
St  Paul  to  the  Corinthians  saith,  Sitis  unanimes,  "  Be  of  one  bright  no 
mind:"  but  he  addeth,  secundum  Jesum  Christum,  "Ac- 
cording to  Jesus  Christ ;"  that  is,  according  to  God's  holy 
word ;  else  it  were  better  war  than  peace.  We  ought  never 
to  regard  unity  so  much  that  we  would,  or  should,  forsake 
God's  word  for  her  sake.  When  we  were  in  popery,  we 
agreed  well,  because  we  were  in  the  kingdom  of  the  devil ; 
we  were  in  blindness.  In  Turkey  we  hear  not  of  any  dis- 
sension amongst  them  for  religion's  sake.  The  Jews,  that 
now  be,  have  no  dissension  amongst  them,  because  they  be 
in  blindness.  When  the  rebels  were  up  in  Norfolk  and 
Devonshire,  they  agreed  all,  there  was  no  dissension :  but 
their  peace  was  not  secundum  Jesum  Christum,  "  according 
to  Jesus  Christ."  Therefore  St  Hilary3  hath  a  pretty  say-  Be  not  de- 
ing :  Speciosum  quidem  nomen  est  pads  et  pulchra  opinio  ^e  ^shew 
unitatis ;  sed  quis  dubitat  earn  solam  unicam  ecclesioz 
pacem  esse  quce  Cliristi  est?  "It  is  a  goodly  word,  'Peace,' 
and  a  fair  thing  Unity  ;  but  who  doubts  but  this  to  be  the 
only  right  peace  of  the  church,  which  peace  is  after  Christ, 
according  to  his  words?"  Therefore  let  us  set  by  unity;  let 
us  be  given  to  love  and  charity ;  but  so  that  it  may  stand 
with  godliness.      For  peace  ought  not  to  be   redeemed  jac-  we  may  not 

O  A  o  </  jose  dujl,  for 

t ura  veritatis,  with  loss  of  the  truth ;  that  we  would  seek  peace. 
peace  so  much,  that  we  should  lose  the  truth  of  God's  word. 

Beati   qui  persecutionem  patiuntur  propter  justitiam :  The  eighth 
"  Blessed  be  they  that  suffer  persecution  for  righteousness'  joumey. 
sake,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."      This  is  the  last 
journey.     When  we  be  demanded  of  our  faith,  and  examined, 
and  afterward  be  forced  to  believe  as  they  will ;   when  we 
come  to  that  point,  blessed  are  we  when  we  suffer  rather  all 

[2  The  act  of  the  "Six  Articles,"  31  Henry  VIII.  c.  14.] 
[3  Coritr.  Ariaaos,  Oper.  col.  311,  Paris.  1631.] 


488  SERMONS    PKEACIIED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

extremities  than  forsake  the  truth :  yea,  we  shall  esteem  it  to 
be  a  great  blessedness  when  we  be  in  such  trouble.  And  not 
only  this,  but  whosoever  suffereth  any  thing  for  any  manner 
The  quest-  of  righteousness'1  sake,  blessed  is  he.  The  questmonger  doing 
be  happy,  uprightly  his  duty,  in  discharging  of  his  conscience,  if1  he 
shall  have  displeasure,  happy  is  he,  and  he  shall  have  his 
reward  of  God. 

Beati  cum  maledixerint  vobis   homines,   et   dicent,  $c. 

"  Blessed  are   ye  when  men  speak  ill  of  you.""      Gaudete, 

quoniam  merces  vestra  cojriosa  est,  $c.  "  Be  merry,  because 

your  reward  is  great  in  heaven." 

a  joumey  Now  ye  have  heard  which  is  the  way  to  heaven,  what 

wherein  the  "     .  "  .    .         - 

wayu.hea-    manner  a  pilgrimage  we  must  o-o  ;  namely,  first  by  spiritual 

ven  is  set  r    O  O  fc>      '  J  '  J       I 

forth  plainly,  poverty,  by  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness,  by  meek- 
ness and  lenity,  by  weeping  and  wailing,  by  pity  and  mer- 
cifulness ;  we2  must  have  a  clean  heart,  and  we  must  be 
peace-makers,  and  we  must  suffer  tribulation  and  affliction. 

Then  shall  the  end  be,  Merces  vestra  erit  multa  in  coelis; 
"  Your  reward  shall  be  great  in  heaven."  Merces,  "Reward." 
This  word  soundeth  as  though  we  should  merit  somewhat  by 
our  own  works :  for  reward  and  merit  are  correspondent, 
one  followeth  the  other ;  when  I  have  merited,  then  I  ought 
to  have  my  reward.  But  we  shall  not  think  so :  for  ye  must 
understand,  that  all  our  works  are  imperfect ;  we  cannot  do 
them  so  perfectly  as  the  law  requireth,  because  of  our  flesh, 
which  ever  letteth  us.     Wherefore  is  the  kingdom  of  God 

Christ  hath    called  then  a  reward ?      Because  it  is  merited  by  Christ :  for 

merited  " 

forus-  as  touching  our  salvation  and  eternal  life,  it  must  be  merited, 
but  not  by  our  own  works,  but  only  by  the  merits  of  our 
Saviour  Christ.  Therefore  believe  in  him,  trust  in  him;  it  is 
he  that  merited  heaven  for  us :  yet  for  all  that,  every  man 
shall  be  rewarded  for  his  good  works  in  everlasting  life,  but 
not  with  everlasting  life.  For  it  is  written,  Vita  aiterna 
donum  Dei;  "The  everlasting  life  is  a  gift  of  God."  There- 
fore we  should  not  esteem  our  works  so  perfect  as  though 
we  should,  or  could,  merit  heaven  by  them :  yet  God  hath 
such  pleasure  in  such  works  which  we  do  with  a  faithful  heart, 
that  he  promiseth  to  reward  them  with3  everlasting  life. 

Now  to  make  an  end :   I  desire  you,  in  God's  behalf, 
remember  this  pilgrimage,  Avhich  I  have  taught  you :  set  not 
f1  now,  1562.]  [2  item,  we,  1562.]  [3  in,  1562.] 


XXVI.]  ON    THE    GOSPEL    OF     ALL    SAINTS.  489 

light  by  it,  for  it  is  our  Saviour's  own  doctrine ;  he  with  his 
own  mouth  taught  us  this  pilgrimage.  When  we  will  now 
follow  him,  and  do  according  as  he  teacheth  us,  then  all 
these  blessings,  of  which  mention  is  made,  shall  light  upon 
us ;  and  in  the  end  we  shall  obtain  everlasting  life.  Which 
grant  both  you  and  me  God  the  Father  through  his  only 
Son  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ !      Amen. 


490  .SERMONS    PREACHED     IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 


THE  THIRD  SERMON  OF  MASTER  LATIMER'S. 


EPHESIANS  VI.  [10,  11,  12.] 

De  cetero,  fratres,  confortamini  in  Domino  et  in  potentia  virtutis  ejus  ; 
induite  vos  armaturam  Dei,  fyc. 

\us- dm'!?    ^ty  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  through  the  power  of  his 
church  the  might ;  put  on  all  the  armour  of  God,  that  ye  may  stand  against 

Sunday  after        all  the  assaults  of  the  devil.     For  we  wrestle  not  against  blood 
and  flesh,  but  against  rule,  against  power,  against  worldly  rulers. 

Paul  taketh  Saint  Paul,  that  elect  instrument  of  God,  taketh  muster 

Gods  people,  of  God's  warriors,  and  teacheth  christian  people  to  war ;  tell- 
eth  them  plainly  that  they  must  be  warriors,  as  it  is  written 
job  Mi.  in  the  book  of  Job  :  Militia  est  vita  hominis  super  terrain; 
"  The  life  of  a  man  or  woman  is  nothing  else  but  a  warfare 
upon  the  earth  ;"  it  is  nothing  but  a  continual  battling  and 
warring.  Not  very  long  ago  I  entreated  of  a  pilgrimage ; 
I  told  you,  at  that  time,  of  the  very  godly  and  ghostly  pil- 
grimage, and  such  a  pilgrimage  which  all  saints  whilst  they 
were  in  this  world  walked.  They  went  all  to  the  pilgrim- 
age ;  but  it  is  a  hard  pilgrimage,  an  uneasy  way  to  walk  : 
but  we  must  needs  go  it ;  there  is  no  remedy ;  either  we 
must  go  that  painful  pilgrimage,  or  else  never  go  to  heaven. 
For  we  may  not  go  from  joy  to  joy  and  pleasure,  but  from 
sorrow  and  misery  to  felicity  :  we  may  not  look  to  have  here 
we  may  not  good  cheer,  and  yonder  everlasting  life ;  for  we  may  not  look 
joy  in  This  m  for  joy  and  jolly  cheer  at  both  sides.  We  have  no  such 
promise  of  Christ  our  Saviour :  he  promised  unto  us  that 
we  should  be  sufferers  here  in  this  world,  and  then  in  the 
world  to  come  we  shall  have  life  everlasting.  Therefore  let 
us  be  content;  for  though  it  be  a  hard  journey,  yet  there 
shall  be  a  good  end  of  it.  Like  as  when  a  man  goeth  a 
great  journey,  and  labour eth  very  sore,  but  in  the  end  he 
cometh  to  good  cheer,  then  all  his  labour  is  forgotten ;  so  we 
shall  come  at  the  end  to  that  felicity  which  no  eyes  hath 
seen,  no  ears  hath  heard,  nor  heart  perceived,  which  God 
hath  prepared  for  his  elect. 

Now  here,  in  this  epistle,  St  Paul  telleth  us  of  a  certain 


world  and 
also  in  the 
world  to 


dier. 


nui-r 


own 
strength. 


XXVII.]    EPISTLE   FOR  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY    AFTER  TRINITY.     491 

warfare :  he  taketh  muster  not  only  of  the  Ephesians,  to 
whom  this  epistle  is  written  ;  but  also  of  us  which  bo  Chris- 
tians :  for  all  that  is  required  of  them  is  required  of  us.  The  ti„  n,  ■* 
first  point  that  pcrtaineth  to  this  warfare,  is  to  be  strong  and  liin 'ian  «>i 
hardy  :  and  this  is  a  commandment,  as  who  say,  "  You  that 
be  Christians,  that  be  baptized  in  his  name,  that  look  to  be 
saved  through  Christ,  I  command  you  to  be  strong ;  ye  may 
not  be  weaklings  ;  for  ye  must  fight  hard."  There  is  neither 
man  nor  woman  but  they  must  fight,  they  must  come  to  that 
battle ;  and  we  may  not  be  weaklings,  because  we  have  a 
strong  enemy  :  now  he  that  hath  a  strong  and  mighty  enemy, 
ought  not  to  be  weak  and  fearful ;  for  if  he  be,  he  shall  bo 
soon  overcome  and  vanquished.  Therefore  St  Paul  would 
have  us  strong,  that  we  may  be  able  to  fight  against  that 
fearful  enemy,  the  devil.  But  for  all  that,  St  Paul  would  w 
not  have  us  to  stand  to  our  own  strength,  to  think  to  van-  ovx 
quish  this  mighty  enemy  by  our  own  power  or  might.  No, 
not  so  ;  for  if1  we  put  our  hope  in  our  own  strength,  we 
shall  soon  be  overcome ;  he  shall  have  the  victory  by  and  by. 
We  must2  put  our  hope,  trust,  and  confidence  in  God ;  and 
trust  through  Christ  our  Saviour  to  overcome  this  enemy. 
We  may  not  do  as  one  Ajax  did3,  whom  his  father  sendeth 
forth  with  a  company  of  men  to  warfare,  giving  him  good 
and  wholesome  lessons  and  instructions,  that  he  should  put 
his  hope  and  trust  in  God  at  all  times,  then  he  should  have 
luck.  Ajax  answered  and  said  unto  his  father :  "  It  is  no 
great4  matter  to  get  the  victory  with  the  help  of  God ;  yea, 
the  fearfullest  and  weakest  man  can  get  the  victory  when 
God  helpeth  him  ;  but  I  will  get  the  victory  with  mine  own 
strength.  Without  the  help  of  God  I  am  able  to  fight." 
Such  blasphemies  spake  this  Ajax.      But  we  shall  not  do  so  The  bias- 

^  .  phemy  of 

as  he  did,  trusting  in  our  own  strength ;  for  if  we  do,  we  Ajax. 
shall  come  too  short,  wo  shall  lose  the  victory,  to  our  eternal 
destruction.  St  Paul  saith,  Confortamini  in  Domino,  "  Be 
strong  in  the  Lord."  We  must  be  strong  by  a  borrowed 
strength;  for  we  of  our  ownselves  are  too  weak  and  feeble. 
Therefore   let  us  learn   where  we  shall   fetch  our  strength,  our  strength 

.  is  from 

namely  Irom  above  ;  for  we  have  it  not  of  our  own  selves.        above. 

[i  when,  1562.]  [2  shall,  1562.] 

[3  Sophocl.    Ajax,  743  et  seq.  Edit.  Wunder.] 

[4  It  is  not  a  great,  1562.] 


492  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

Now  he  saith,  "  Put  on  all  the  harness  of  God."  You 
know  that  when  a  man  goeth  to  war,  and  is  harnessed  all 
about,  except  one1  place,  if  his  enemy  see2  this  bare  place, 
he  woundeth  him  as  soon  as  though  he  had  no  harness  at  all. 
Therefore  St  Paul  commanded  us  that  we  shall  have  the 
wemust      whole  armour,   nothing  lacking ;  for  we   may  not  go   with 

lack  no  part  ,  °  =>  '  J  »  , 

of  armour,     pieces,  having  one  thing,  and  lacking  the  other:  for  when 

we  be  wounded,  we  shall  do  but  little  good  after.    Wherefore 

The  cause     doth  St  Paul  require  such  strength,  and  such  weapons,  and 

why  St  Paul  /Tin*  i  i 

would  have    teacheth  us  to  fio-ht  ?   Answer :  to   that   end  that  we    may 

us  to  be  °  _  " 

wreae»on"d  quench  and  pull  down  the  devil ;  that  we  may  strive  against 
liim,  lest  peradventure  he  overcome  us,  and  bring  us  in 
danger  of  our  souls.  For  ye  know,  in  battle  as  long  as  a 
man  standeth  he  is  well,  he  hath  hope  to  escape  ;  but  as 
soon  as  he  is  down,  then  he  is  in  jeopardy  of  his  life.  So 
likewise  as  long  as  we  stand  and  fight  against  the  devil,  we 
are  well ;  but  when  we  fall,  then  we  are  in  danger,  lest  he 
get  the  victory  over  us :  therefore  he  would  have  us  to  stand 
against  the  assaults  of  the  devil. 

Now   you  must  consider  what  manner  an  enemy  he  is 

that  fighteth  against  us :  and  first  consider  his  power.     The 

job  xii.        scripture  saith,  Non  est  potestas,   "  There  is  no  power  on 

earth  which  may  be  compared  unto  Ins  power."     Now,  that 

strong  fellow  is  God's  enemy  and  ours  ;  therefore  St  Paul 

biddeth  us  to  be  strong,  and  armed  round  about.     But  to  do 

it  must  be     on  our  own  harness,  that  we  may  not;  but  we  must  do  on  the 

th"t  wvmust  armour  of  God,  which  he  hath  appointed  for  us :  therefore 

we  must  not  learn  of  the  devil  to  fight,  he  shall  not  teach  us 

to  battle ;  for  it  were  like  as  if  we  would  fight  against  the 

Scots,   and  had  none  other  harness  but  as  they  appointed 

unto  us.     No  doubt,  if  we   were  in  that  case,  they  would 

appoint  such  weapons  for  us,  that  they  might  get  the  victory, 

and  give  us  an  overthrow.      So  when  we  should  fight  against 

we  may  not  the  devil,  and  had  none  other  weapons  but  as  he  appointed 

weaponfas    unto  us,  no  doubt  he  would  soon  give  us  an  overthrow ;  for 

wuiappoint  he  would  appoint  weapons  wherewith  we  could  not  overcome 

him  and  withstand  his  power. 

Further :  the  diligence  of   the  devil   is    expressed    and 
declared  unto  us  by  the  mouth  of  St  Peter,  which  saith,  "He 


put  on. 


]}  at  one,  1562.]  [2  spy,  1562.] 


XXVII.]    EPISTLE   FOR   TWENTY-FIRST   SUNDAY   AFTER  TRINITY.      493 

gocth  about  like  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  dovour."  1  ret.  v. 

He  useth  all  crafts  and  deceits ;  he  compasseth  the  matter  Tne  deVii 

hither  and  thither,  till  at  length  he  bringeth  his  matters  to  matter*  his 

pass :  for  he  is  no  sluggard,  no  sleeper,  nor  negligent,  but 

he  applicth  his  matters  and  business  to  the  uttermost.      Now 

that  he  is  subtile,  it  appeareth  in  holy  scripture  ;  for  so  it  is 

written,    Serpens  erat  callidior  ceteris  animaUbus ;   "  The  Gen.  hi. 

serpent    was    wiser    than    the    other    beasts    were."     Here 

appeared  his  wits,  subtilties,  and  crafts.     Ever  after  that  he  The  devii 

hath  had  a  great  and  long  time  to  exercise  himself  withal ;  \mg  exercise. 

he  hath  had  five  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty  three  years  : 

such   a   long  time  he  hath  had  to  exercise  himself  withal. 

Therefore  it  is  not  in  vain  that  St  Paul  would  have  us  hearty 

and  strong,  and  fight  with  a  good  courage.      This  devil  was  Devils  were 

once  an  angel  in  heaven,  and  for  pride  he  was  cast  down  : 

for  he  went  about  to  exalt  himself  above  God ;  therefore  he 

was  pulled  down,  and  all  his  company  with  him,  which  were3 

all  the   angels   that  took  his   part ;  and  so   he  fell  with  a 

great  number.      They  fell  down  from  heaven,  and  here  they 

be  in  the  air :  yet  they  be  invisible  unto  us,  because  they  be 

spirits  :  but  for  all  that  they  be  amongst  us,  and  about  us, 

to  let  us  of  good  things,  and  to  move  us  to  naughtiness.      I 

am  not  able  to  tell  how  many  thousand  be  here  amongst  us 

now  in  this  chamber  ;  and  no  doubt  some  were  busy  to  keep 

some  men  away  from  the  hearing  of  the  word  of  God  :  for 

their  nature  is,   either  to  keep   men  away  from  hearing  of  Note « in t 

God's  word,  so  that  they  shall  not  hear  it  at  all ;   or  else,  at  nihil?.''.* 

the  least  way,  they  occupy  men's  heads  with  other  business, 

so    that   they  shall  hear  it  without  profit,      Now,  when  he 

bringeth  the  matter  to  pass  according  to  his  mind,  then  he 

rejoiceth  wonderfully  with  his  company  :   so  that  the  writers 

say,  that  if  we  could  see  them,  we  should  perceive  them  to  Devils  rejoice 

hop  and   dance   upon  our  heads  for  gladness,  because   they  aomischief. 

have  done  unto  us  a  mischief.      We  see  them  not,  they  be 

invisible,  as  I  told  you  before  :  but  no  doubt  here  they  be 

for  our  exercise ;  for  it  were  a  small  thing  to  believe  well,  if 

there  were  nothing  moving  to  the  contrary. 

Therefore  it  is  so  ordained  of  God,  that  we  should  have 
war,  yea,  and  nothing  but  war,  a  standing  war ;  and  not  only  Both  men 
for  men,  but  also  for  women  :  for  the  women  must  battle  and  miU^ht';1 
[3  which  wore,  not  in  1502.] 


494 


SERMONS     PRKACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE. 


b 


The  devils 
have  not 
their  full 
torments 
before  the 
last  day. 


We  need  not 
to  fear 

the  devils. 


What  it  is  to 
have  Christ 
with  us. 


light  with  this  horrible  enemy  as  well  as  men.  And  he  is 
stronger  than  we  be,  when  we  be  alone ;  so  that  we  shall  not 
be  able  to  give  him  an  overthrow.  But  when  Christ  is  with 
us,  then  he  can  do  nothing  at  all,  because  Christ  hath  van- 
quished his  power  and  might.  Therefore  his  impotency 
appeared  in  the  eighth  of  Matthew :  when  our  Saviour  came 
into  the  region  of  the  Gergesites,  there  came  two  men  unto 
him  possessed  of  the  devil,  and  they  cried  and  said,  "  Jesu, 
thou  son  of  David,  wherefore  art  thou  come  before  the  time 
to  afflict  us?" — where  it  appeareth,  that  they  tremble  and  are 
fearful  when  Christ  is  present ;  therefore  they  say,  Our 
venisti  ante  tempus,  "  Wherefore  art  thou  come  before  thy 
time?"  The  devils  know  that  they  be  damned,  and  that  they 
must  go  to  hell :  yet  they  that  be  here  have  not  yet  ap- 
pointed unto  them  their  places ;  and  though  they  have  the 
pains  with  them,  yet  they  have  it  not  so  fully  and  perfectly 
as  they  shall  have  at  the  last  day.  And  their  greatest  joy 
and  comfort  is  to  do  us  harm  ;  for  they  know  that  they  be 
fallen  for  ever,  so  that  they  shall  never  attain  to  that  joy 
which  they  have  had.  And  again,  they  know  that  we  shall 
come  thither,  and  therefore  they  envy  God  and  us :  but  their 
impotency  appeareth,  for  they  take  it  for  a  torment  to  be 
letted  ;  it  is  a  great  grief  unto  them,  yet  they  are  not  able 
to  strive  against  the  commandment  of  Christ.  Therefore  we 
need  not  fear  them,  sith  Christ  is  with  us  :  they  are  weak 
enemies,  when  we  put  on  such  armour  as1  St  Paul  describeth 
here:  for  all  the  devils  in  hell  or  in  earth  are  not  able  to 
light  against  one  of  those  that  hath  these  armours  ;  for  ye 
see  he  dare  not  disobey  Christ  commanding  him  to  go  out  of 
the  man.  Now  when  he  perceived  that  he  could  do  no  more 
harm  unto  the  man,  then  he  desired  Christ  to  let  him  go  into 
the  swine :  where  appeareth  partly,  his  impotency  that  he 
could  not  go  without  Christ's  permission ;  partly,  his  mis- 
chievous mind  appeareth  ;  for  when  he  seeth  that  he  can  do 
us  no  harm  in  our  bodies,  then  he  goeth  about  to  hurt  us  in 
our  goods.  But  when  we  have  Christ  with  us,  he  is  not 
able  to  hurt  us,  neither  of  our  souls,  bodies,  or  goods  ;  that 
is,  when  we  believe  in  Christ.  For  to  have  Christ  with  us, 
is  nothing  else  but  to  believe  and  trust  in  him,  to  seek 
aid  and  help  by  him  against  our  enemy  the  devil.  Therefore 
['  our  arms  which,  1562.] 


XXVII.]    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY    A.FTEB  TRINITY.     495 

Christ  saith   to  all  his  faithful,  to  all  those  that  bclicvo  in 

him,  Ego  sum  vobiscum  usque  ad  consummation-em  sceculi ;  Matt  xxviu. 

"  I  am  with  you  till  to  the  end  of  the  world,  to  assist  you, 

to  help  you,  to  defend  you,  and  to  hear  your  prayers  when 

ye  call  upon  me."      Therefore,   though  we  cannot  withstand 

this  enemy  by  our  own  power,  yet  with  Christ's  help  we  shall 

chase  him,  and  put  him  back  ;  make  him  ashamed  of  his 

enterprise  and  purpose. 

Non  est  nobis  lucta  cum  came  et  sanguine :  "  We  have 
not  to  fight  with  flesh  and  blood."      Here  the  Anabaptists  Anabaptists 

■.  i         i        •  t  it  i  „  mistake  this 

make  very  much  ado,  intending  to  prove  by  these  words  oi  i>iace. 
St  Paul,  that  no  christian  man  may  fight  or  go  to  warfare ; 
neither  may  there  be  any  magistrates,  say  they,  which  should 
shed  blood,  and  punish  the  wicked  for  his  wickedness.  But 
these  fond  fellows  are  much  deceived  in  them  own  wits  ;  for 
St  Paul's  mind  is  clean  contrary  unto  their  sayings.  St  Paul 
teacheth  here,  how  all  christian  people  must  fight,  but  not  so 
that  one  should  fight  with  another ;  but  he  speaketh  here  of 
a  singular  fight:  we  may  not  fight  one  with  another.  Though 
my  neighbour  doth  me  wrong,  yet  I  may  not  fight  with  him, 
and  avenge  myself  upon  him ;  for  God  saith,  Mihi  vindicta, 
et  ego  retribuam,  "  Let  me  have  the  vengeance,  and  I  will 
reward  it."  And  no  doubt  God  will  reward  the  wicked  for 
his  wickedness,  either  by  himself,  or  else  by  the  magistrates. 
Some  there  be  that  be  punished  by  the  magistrates  for  their 
misdoings ;  and  again,  there  be  some  which  escape  hanging 
in  this  world ;  yet  for  all  that  God  punisheth  them,  either 
with  sickness,  or  else  other  ways.  But  ye  must  know  that 
there  is  a  private  vengeance,  and  a  public  :  the  private  ven- 
geance is,  when  a  man  goeth  about  to  avenge  himself  upon 
his  neighbour  ;   which  thing  is  inhibited  here  by  these  words  Private  re- 

venizoineiit 

of  St  Paul :    Non  est  nobis  lucta  cum  came  et  sanguine ;  forbidden. 
"  We  have  not  to  fight  with  flesh  and  blood."      But  there  is 
a  public  vengeance,  that  is  the  magistrate's :  the  magistrate 
ought  to  fight  and  to  punish  ;  when  he  seeth  cause,  he  may 
and  ought  to  strike  malefactors  with  the  sword  ;  for  St  Paul 
saith,  Est  minister  Dei  ad  vindictam,  "  The  magistrate  is  a 
minister  of  God  to  punish."      Also2  in  another  place  scripture 
saith,  Justus  Dominus,  et  jus"titiam  dilexit ;  "The  Lord  isThcLoni 
just,  and  he  loveth  justice."     Therefore  the  foolish  Anabap-  foe. 
[2  Item,  1562.] 


Thes 
rebel 


49 C  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

lists  are  much  deceived :  for  this  place  taketh  not  away  all 
manner  of  fightings,  but  only  the  private  fighting ;  but  the 
magistrate  may  draw  his  sword  and  strike  :  and  certainly 
every  governor  and  ruler,  every  king,  may  defend  his  realm, 
cases  where-  chase  and   put   by   the   invaders.     Again,  the   subjects  are 

in  it  is  lawful  .  i  • 

tousewea-  bound  in  conscience  to  fight,  whensoever  they  be  required  of 
them  king  and  lord :  and,  no  doubt,  that  man  that  so  fighteth, 
being  lawfully  called  thereunto,  he  is  in  the  service  of  God, 
he  is  God's  servant.  But  above  all  things  the  magistrate, 
the  king,  must  see  that  his  quarrel  be  good  and  lawful,  before 
he  proceed  to  shed  christian  blood.  For  they  bear  God's 
sword,  not  to  do  harm,  but  good ;  to  punish  and  strike  the 
wicked,  and  defend  the  good.  Therefore,  as  I  said  before, 
the  Anabaptists  cannot  prove  by  that  scripture  that  there 
shall  be  no  magistrates  nor  battles';  or  that  magistrates  may. 
not  draw  their  swords  against  those  that  trespass.  But  sub- 
jects may  not  of  their  own  private  authority  take  the  sword, 
or  rebel  against  their  king :  for  when  they  rebel,  they  serve 
the  devil ;  for  they  have  no  commission  of  God  so  to  do,  but 
of  their  own  head  they  rise  against  God,  that  is,  against  the 
king,  to  whom  they  owe  obedience,  and  so  worthily  be 
punished.  Therefore,  good  christian  people,  beware  of  rebel- 
ling against  your  sovereign  lord  the  king  :  but  when  there 
be  rebels  or  invaders,  and  ye  be  called  of  the  king  to  with- 
stand them,  go  with  a  good  will  and  conscience :  and  be-  well 
assured  that  it  is  God's  service  in  withstanding  the  rebels  or 
the  king's  enemies.  And  no  doubt  he  that  refuseth  at  such 
a  time  to  serve  the  king,  or  else  is  slow  in  serving,  that  curse 
shall  lighten  upon  him,   that  God  threateneth  by  his  holy 

Jcr.  xiviii.  prophet  Jeremy,  saying  :  Maledictus  qui  facit  opus  Domini 
negligenter;  et  maledictus  qui  gladium  suum  abstinet  a  san- 

Whosore-     guine ;    "  Cursed  be   he  that   doth  the  work  of  the  Lord 

fuseth  to         if  ' 

oase'is" some  negligently  ;  and  cursed  be  he  that  keepeth  his  sword  from 
cursed  of  blood-shedding."  And  no  doubt  that  man  that  dieth  so  in 
fighting  against  the  king's  enemy,  he  dieth  in  God's  service, 
in  God's  quarrel.  But  yet  I  would  not  have  men  to  call 
themselves,  or  come  without  calling :  I  would  have  them  to 
tarry  till  they  be  called  ;  for  when  they  be  called,  they  be 
authorised,  they  have  a  vocation  of  God  to  go.  But  against 
rule,  against  power,  against  worldly  rulers,  with  these  names 
['  bettelynges,  1562.] 


ti":l. 


XXVII.]     EPISTLE   FOR  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY   AFTER  TRINITY.     497 

St  Paul  dcscribctli  the  devil,  signifying  unto  us  his  might  and 
power  when  God  pcrmittcth  and  suffereth  him.  And  then 
he  is  subtil :  therefore  he  saith  we  must  fight  against  the 
spiritual  craftiness,  which  craftiness  passeth  all  craftiness.  He 
is  nimble  and  ready  to  all  mischief ;  liis  agility  is  wonderful,  J*^g£ 
his  activity  is  unspeakable. 

In  ccelestibus,  "  In  the  element."     We  read  in  the  scrip-  Psai.  via, 
tures  that  the  fowls  are  called  volucres  cceli,  "  the  fowls  of 
the  heaven  ;"  that  is,  in  the  parts  of  the  air  here  amongst  us. 
So  the  devil  is  here  amongst  us  in  the  middle2  part  of  the 
air  ;  ready  ever  to  move  us  against  God ;  whensoever  he  can  The  deva 

"  °  .  loseth  no 

espy  his  time,  he  spareth  not,  he  loseth  no  time.  As  for  time- 
an  ensample :  when  the  devils  perceive  one  to  be  given  to 
swearing  and  cursing,  they  ever  minister  matters  unto  him  to 
retain  him  in  his  cursing  and  to  prick  him  forward :  when 
they  perceive  one  to  be  given  to  proudness,  they  ever  move 
his  heart  to  go  forward  in  the  same  :  when  they  see  or  per- 
ceive any  man  given  to  carding  or  dicing,  or  to  lechery,  or 
to  other  manner  of  wickedness,  he  sleepeth  not,  he  is  ever 
ready  at  hand ;  for  he  hath  a  thousand  ways  to  hurt  us,  and 
to  bring  us  to  mischief;  insomuch  that  we  are  not  able  to 
stand  against  him,  when  we  have  not  God's  weapons  wherewith 
we  may  strike  him.  Therefore  St  Paul  saith,  that  we  must 
fight  against  rulers.  He  describeth  unto  us  the  great  power 
that  the  devil  hath ;  for  what  is  mightier  than  rulers  and 
potentates  be  ?  Therefore  to  the  intent  that  we  might  per-  Jt°^t  end 
ceive  his  mighty  power,  he  named  him  by  that  name,  to  that  g^  ™^e 
end  to  make  us  earnest  to  put  on  the  armours  and  take  the  deviI- 
weapons  which  God  hath  appointed  for  us ;  else  we  shall  soon 
have  an  overthrow,  if  we  will  take  such  weapons  as  the  devil 
shall  appoint  us,  as  he  hath  clone  in  times  past.  For  what  a 
trust  and  confidence  have  we  had  in  holy  water  and  holy  The  weapon* 

*>  "    that  the  devil 

bread !   also    in  ringing   of  holy  bells,   and   such  fooleries !  J^have 
But  it  was  good  sport  for  the  devil,  he  could  laugh  and  be 
merry  at  our  foolishness ;  yea,  and  order  the  matter  so  to 
keep  us  in  the  same  error.     For  we  read  in  stories3,  that  at 
some  times  the  devil  went  away  from  some  men,  because  of  the 

[2  raiddest,  1562.] 

[3  Thus,  in  that  storehouse  of  marvels,  the  Promptuarium  Exem- 
plorum  of  John  Herolt,  or  Discipulus,  occur  "  stories"  such  as,  "  Dia- 
bolus  non  potuit  intrare  os  ebriosi  propter  guttatn  aqu?e  henedictse  :" 

r  -i  32 

[LATIMER.  J 


498  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

holy  water,  as  though  that  holy  water  had  such  strength  and 
The  subtlety  power  that  he  could  not  abide  it.      0  crafty  devil !    He  went 

of  the  devil.     *  J 

away,  not  for  fear  of  the  holy  water,  but  because  he  would 
maintain  men  in  error  and  foolishness.  And  no  doubt  it  was 
the  devil's  teaching,  the  using  of  this  holy  water. 

It  was  not  long  ago  since,  I  being  with  one  of  my  neigh- 
bours that  was  sick,  there  came  in  an  old  woman,  and  when 
a  good  medi-  she  saw  the  man  sore  sick,  she  asked,  whether  there  were  no 
sick  man.      holy  water  to  be  gotten  ?     See  here  the  foolishness  of  the 
people,  that  in  the  time  of  the  light1  of  God's  most  holy 
word  will  follow  such  phantasies  and  delusions  of  the  devil ! 
Ye  know,  when  there  was  a  storm  or  a  fearful  weather,  then 
we  rang  the  holy  bells2:  they  were  they  that  must  make  all 
The  ringing    things  well :  they  must  drive  away  the  devil !     But  I  tell 

of  holy  bells.  .»     ,        \     ,       ■,     n  -i  i  •       .       i  i       -i  .1      , 

you,  if  the  holy  bells  would  serve  against  the  devil,  or  that- 
he  might  be  put  away  through  their  sound,  no  doubt  we 
would  soon  banish  him  out  of  all  England.  For  I  think  if 
all  the  bells  in  England  should  be  rung  together  at  a  certain 
hour,  I  think  there  would  be  almost  no  place,  but  some  bells 
might  be  heard  there.  And  so  the  devil  should  have  no 
abiding  place  in  England,  if  ringing  of  bells  would  serve  : 
but  it  is  not  that  that  will  serve  against  the  devil.  Yet  we 
have  believed  such  fooleries  in  times  past :  but  it  was  but 
The  devii      mocking ;  it  was  the  teaching  of  the  devil.     And  no  doubt 

taught  us  to  °  ° 

ring  holy      we  Were  in  a  miserable  case,  when  we  learned  of  the  devil 

bells. 

to  fight  against  the  devil.  And  how  much  are  we  bound 
to  God,  that  he  hath  delivered  us  from  these  gross  igno- 
rances, and  hath  taught  us  how  we  should  fight  and  prevail 
against  his  enemy!  Yet  it  is  a  pitiful  thing  to  see,  that 
there  be  some  amongst  us  which  would  fain  have  the  old 
fooleries  again :  they  are  aweary  of  the  word  of  God,  they 
cannot  away  with  it ;  they  would  rather  have  their  crossings, 
and  setting  up  of  candles,  and  such  fooleries,  than  the  word 

and,  "  Quiclam  aspergebat  infirmum  qui  sustinuit  magnas  infestationes 
dsemonum,  et  statim  omnes  dsemones  in  fugam  dederunt."] 

['  which  amidst,  1562.] 

[2  In  1464  there  is  a  charge  in  the  churchwarden's  accounts  of 
Sandwich  for  bread  and  cheese  for  the  "ryngers  in  the  gret  thun- 
deryng."  The  chasing  away  of  evil  spirits  was  also  said  to  be  ac- 
complished by  the  ringing  of  hallowed  bells.  Brand,  Obs.  on  Popular 
Antiq.  h.  130,  &c.  Edit,  by  Ellis :  Durand.  Ration.  Div.  Offic.  i.  4.  §  15.] 


fooleries 

more  than 
the  word  of 
God. 


XXVII.]     EPISTLE   FOR  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.      499 

of  God.  I  was  once  called  to  one  of  my  kinsfolk  (it  was  a  pretty  tale, 
at  that  time  when  I  had  taken  degree  at  Cambridge,  and 
was  made  master  of  art),  I  was  called,  I  say,  to  one  of  my 
kinsfolk,  which  was  very  sick,  and  died  immediately  after  my 
coming.  Now  there  was  an  old  cousin  of  mine,  which,  after 
the  man  was  dead,  gave  me  a  wax  candle  in  my  hand,  and 
commanded  me  to  make  certain  crosses  over  him  that  was 
dead :  for  she  thought  the  devil  should  run  away  by  and 
by.  Now  I  took  the  candle,  but  I  could  not  cross  Mm  as 
she  would  have  me  to  do ;  for  I  had  never  seen  it  afore. 
Now  she,  perceiving  that  I  could  not  do  it,  with  a  great 
anger  took  the  candle  out  of  my  hand,  saying,  "  It  is  pity 
that  thy  father  spendeth  so  much  money  upon  thee :"  and  so 
she  took  the  candle,  and  crossed  and  blessed  him,  so  that  he 
was  sure  enough.  No  doubt  she  thought  that  the  devil  could 
have  no  power  against  him.  This,  and  such  like  things, 
were  nothing  but  illusions  of  the  devil :  yet  for  all  that  we 
put  our  trust  so  in  them,  that  we  thought  we  could  not  be 
saved  without  such  things.  But  now,  let  us  give  God  most 
hearty  thanks,  that  he  hath  delivered  us  from  such  snares  and 
illusions  of  the  devil;  and  let  us  endeavour  ourselves  most 
earnestly  to  hear  God's  most  holy  word,  and  to  live  after  it. 
Now  to  the  armours.  Here  is  the  armour  of  God's  teach- 
ing, for  man  and  woman.     When  a  man  shall  20  to  battle,  The  parts  ot 

°  ...     armour  and 

commonly  he  hath  a  great  girdle,  with  an  apron  of  mail  weapons. 
going  upon  his  knees ;  then  he  hath  a  breast-plate ;  then, 
for  the  nether  part,  he  hath  high  shoen ;  and  then  he  must 
have  a  buckler,  to  keep  off  his  enemy,s  strokes  ;  then  he 
must  have  a  sallet  wherewith  his  head  may  be  saved ;  and 
finally,  he  must  have  a  sword  to  fight  withal,  and  to  hurt  his 
enemy.  These  are  the  weapons  that  commonly  men  use  when 
they  go  to  war :  of  such  wise  St  Paul  would  have  us  to  be 
prepared.  Therefore,  whosoever  will  go  to  this  spiritual 
war,  and  fight  against  the  devil,  he  must  have  such  wea- 
pons, truth,  justice,  and  be  ready  to  hear  God's  word. 
They  that  be  armed  in  such  wise,  the  devil  can  nothing 
do  against  them ;  as  it  appeared  in  the  holy  man  Job,  whom  job  was  wen 
the  devil  could  not  tempt  further  than  he  had  leave  of  God.  a™ 
Whereby  we  gather,  that  when  we  stand  in  God's  armour, 
we  shall  be  able  to  quench  the  assaults  of  this  old  serpent 
the  devil. 

32—2 


500  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

Now  the  first  point  of  this  armour  is  truth  and  verity, 

from  which  truth  the  devil  is  fallen,  he  and  all  his  company. 

For  it  is  written,  In  veritate  non  stetit ;  "  He  abode  not  in 

the  truth."      He  was  in  the  truth,  but  he  fell  from  it ;  he 

with  lying    remained  not  in  it ;  for  with  lyinp-  and  falsehood  he  deceived 

the  devil  '  J       => 

man ved  onr  grandmother  Eve,  when  he  desired  her  to  eat  of  the  for- 
bidden fruit,  affirming  and  most  surely  promising  unto  her 
and  her  husband  Adam,  that  they  should  be  gods  after  they 
had  eaten  of  the  apple :  which  was  a  false  he.  Therefore 
it  is  written  of  him,  Mendax  est  et  ejus  rei  pater ;  "  He  is 

The  <ievii  is    a  liar,   and  a  father  of  the  same."      0  that  all  liars  would 

Iiars-  consider  what  an  horrible  thing  it  is  in  the  face  of  God  to 

tell  false  tales  !  They  have  cause  to  be  weary  of  their  estate ; 
for  the  devil  is  their  father,  and  they  be  his  children.  And 
being  the  child  of  the  devil,  he  givcth  him  an  ill  reward,  as 
he  doth  to  all  his  children,  even  everlasting  perdition ;  for 
that  is  their  inheritance,  which  they  shall  have  of  their  fa- 
ther. •  Cum  mendacium  loquitur  ex  propriis  loquitur:  "When 
he  spcaketh  a  he,  he  speaketh  of  his  own,  for  he  himself  is 
nothing  else  but  falsehood."     0  there  be  many  sore  sentences 

Many  sore     in  scripture  against  liars  and  false  tale-tellers  !     David  saith, 

sentences  . 

against  liars.  Percles  omnes  qui  loquuntur  mendacium ;  "  Thou  shalt  de- 
stroy all  them  that  speak  lies."  Therefore  St  Paul  exhorteth 
us  to  this  truth,  to  leave  lies  and  falsehood :  he  saith,  De- 
posito  mendacio  veritatem  loquimini  quisque  cum  proximo 

Ephes.  iv.  suo ;  "  Set  aside  all  lies,  and  speak  the  truth  every  one  with 
his  neighbour."  I  pray  God  we  may  learn  this  lesson  of  St 
Paul,  and  follow  it,  and  practise  it ;  for  no  doubt  we  be  full 

aii  estates     of  lies.      Consider  and  examine  all  estates,  and  ye  shall  find 

iy?ng!  °  all  their  doings  furnished  with  lies.  Go  first  to  men  of  oc- 
cupations, consider  their  lives  and  conversations ;  there  is  in 
a  manner  nothing  with  them  but  lying.  Go  to  men  of  au- 
thority, go  to  the  lawyers,  you  shall  find  stuff  enough.  For  it 
is  seen  now-a-days,  that  children  learn  prettily  of  their  parents 
to  he ;  for  the  parents  are  not  ashamed  to  lie  in  presence  of 
their  children.  The  craftsman,  or  merchantman,  teacheth  his 
prentice  to  lie,  and  to  utter  his  wares  with  lying  and  for- 
swearing. Finally1,  there  is  almost  nothing  amongst  us  but 
lies :  and  therefore  parents  and  masters  are  in  great  danger 
of  eternal  damnation ;  for  they  care  not  how  they  bring  up 
[l  In  summa,  1502.] 


XXVII.]     EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.     501 

their  youth,  in  godliness,  or  otherwise ;  they  care  not  for  it. 
Therefore  I  exhort  you,  in  God's  hehalf,  to  consider  the  mat-  Notetws, 

~»  _.._  _.  ._  o  ye  fathers 

ter,  ye  parents:  suiter  not  your  children  to  he,  or  tell  false  andmothen. 
tales.      When  you  hear  one  of  your  children  to  make  a  lie, 
take  him  up,  and  give  him  three  or  four  good  stripes,  and 
tell  him  that  it  is    naught :    and  when  he  maketh  another 
lie,  give  him  six  or  eight  stripes ;  and  I  am  sure  when  you  A  „u,i,„„(. 
serve  him  so,  he  will  leave  it ;  for  it  is  a  common  saying,  SenteaVe'"1' 
Vexatio  dot  intellectum,  "  Correction  giveth  understanding."  yu 
But  we  see  now-a-days,  that  parents  rejoice  when  their  chil- 
dren can  make  a  pretty  he.     They  say,  "  He  will  be  a  pretty 
witty  fellow,  he  can  make  a  pretty  he."      So  much  is  the 
word  of  God  regarded  amongst  us !      So  likewise,  prentices  Like  master 
can  do  nothing  but  he ;  and  the  better  he  can  lie,  the  more  is 
he  regarded  of   his  master,  and  the  more  acceptable ;    and 
therefore  there  was  never  such  falsehood  as  there  is  now, 
for  the  youth  is  so  brought  up  in  lies  and  falsehood.     For 
we  see  daily  what  falsehood  is  abroad,  how  every  man  de- 
ceiveth  his  neighbour  !      There  will  no  writing  serve  now- 
a-days  ;   every  man  worketh  craftily  with  his  neighbour. 

In  the  old  time  there  were  some  folks  not  ashamed  to 
preach  in  the  open  pulpit  unto  the  people,  how  long  a  man 
should  he  in  purgatory.  Now,  to  defend  their  lies,  they  said 
it  was  done  to  a  good  purpose,  to  make  the  people  afraid,  to 
beware  of  sin  and  wickedness.  But  what  saith  God  by  the 
prophet  ?  Nunquid  eget  Dominus  mendacio,  ut  pro  illo  lo- 
quamini  mendacium  ?  "  Hath  the  Lord  need  of  lies,  that  ye  God  needeth 
will  go  and  make  lies  in  his  name  ?"  You  may  perceive  now, 
how  necessary  a  tiling  it  is  to  be  in  the  truth,  to  be  upright 
in  our  dealings  ;  for  St  Paul  requircth  truth  not  only  in 
judgments,  that  judges  shall  judge  according  to  equity  and 
conscience :  but  also  he  requireth  that  we  be  true  in  all  our  God  re- 

x  ,       quireth  all 

conversations  and  doings,  words  and  deeds.      And  so  Christ  persons  to  i>e 

O   '  true  in  their 

himself  requireth  the  same  of  us  in  the  fifth  of  St  Matthew  :  conversation. 

Sit  sermo  vester,  Est,  est ;  non,  non ;  "  Let  your  saying  be,  Matt.  v. 

Yea,  yea ;  no,  no."     He  saith  two  times,  "  Yea,  yea ;"  to 

signify  unto  us,  that  it  shall  be  with  us  so  that  when  we  say 

"  Yea"  with  our  tongue,  then  it  shall  be  in  the  heart  "  Yea" 

too :  again,  when  we  say  "  No"  with  our  tongue,  that  the 

heart  be  so  too.     Therefore  he  saith  two  times,  "  Yea,  yea  ;  whychrist 

v  said  l  ea,  vc;i. 

no,  no ;"  to  signify  that  the  heart  and  mouth  shall  go  to-  na>'>  •»*• 


502  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

gether.     And  therefore  it  appeareth  that  we  be  in  a  pitiful 
case,  far  from  that  that  God  would  have  us  to  be.     For  there 
be  some  that  be  so  used  to  lies,  that  they  can  do  nothing 
a  proverb     else ;  and,  as  the  common  saying  is,  a  lie  is  the  better  when 
it  cometh  in  their  mouth.    Well,  I  will  shew  you  an  ensample, 
Let  an  nars   which  shall  be  enough  to  fear  us  from  lying.      In  the  primi- 
story.  '"       tive  church,  when  there  was   but  few  which  believed,  and 
amongst  them  there  was  a  great  many  of  poor  people,  there- 
fore they  that  were  rich  used  to  sell  their  goods,  and  brought 
the  money  to  the  apostles,  to  that  end  that  the  poor  might 
be  relieved :  there  was  some  that  did  such  things  simply  and 
uprightly,  with  a  good  heart.     Now  there  was  a  certain  man, 
Ananias  was  called  Ananias,  and  his  wife  called  Saphira;  they  were  Chris- 
christian.      tians,  but  they  sought  nothing  but  worldly  things,  as  some  of 
would  God  us  do  now-a-days1.     They  thought  it  should  be  a  worldly 
proved  true   kingdom,  as  there  be  many  gospellers  now-a-days  which  seek 

m  a  great  °  «/     a      1  J 

number  of  us.  nothing  by  the  gospel  but  their  own  gains  and  preferments. 
Now  tins  man  with  his  wife,  seeing  others  sell  their  goods, 
thought  they  would  get  a  good  name  too :  they  went  and 
sold  their  lands,  yet  they  were  afraid  to  bring  all  the  money 
to  the  apostles,  mistrusting  lest  tins  religion  should  not  endure 
long ;  therefore  they  thought  it  wisdom  to  keep  somewhat  in 

wimfor™"  s^ore'  wnen  necessity  should  require.  Well,  they  go  and 
bring  a  part  of  the  money  to  Peter,  and  the  other  part  they 
kept  for  themselves,  affirming  to  Peter  that  it  was  the  whole 
money.  Now  Peter,  having  knowledge  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
of  this  falsehood,  said  unto  hhn  when  he  came  with  the 
money,  Cur  Satan  implevit  cor  tunm  ut  mentireris  Spiritui 
Sancto?  "How  chanced  it  that  the  devil  hath  filled  thy  heart, 
that  thou  shouldest  He  unto  the  Holy  Ghost?  Was  it  not  thy 
own  goods  ?  And  thou  comest  and  sayest  it  is  all,  when  it 
was  but  a  part  ?"     Non  hominibus,   "  Thou  hast  not    lied 

a  tembie     unto  men,  but  unto  God."     What  followeth  ?    Ananias,  hear- 

liavs Intake   ino-  that,  by  and  by  fell  down  and  died  out  of  hand :   so  that 

heed  by.  o  7       */  «/ 

Peter  killed  him  with  his  Avords.  After  that  came  his  wife, 
and  told  the  same  tale,  and  received  like  reward  for  her  lie. 
Now  I  pray  you,  who  hath  such  a  flinty  and  stony  heart, 
that  he  will  not  be  afraid  to  make  lies  ?  But  what  meaneth 
it,  that  God  punisheth  not  lies  so  openly  now  as  he  did  then  ? 
Answer  :  that  God  punisheth  not  lies  now,  he  doth  not 
P  now-a-days,  in  1562  only.] 


foul  day. 


XXVII.]     EPISTLE   FOR   TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.      503 

because  he  hath  a  delight  in  lies  more  at  this  time  than  lie 

had  at  that  same  time  ;  for  he  is  an  immutable  unchangeable 

God.     He  tarrieth,  and  pumsheth  not  by  and  by,  because  he  The  cause 

would  have  us  to  repent  and  leave  our  wickedness,  lies,  and  punisheth 

falsehood:  if  we  will  not  repent,  then  he  will  come  one  day  as  he  did  in 

and  make  an  end  with  us,  and  reward  us  according  unto  our  til,lc 

deserving.      And  this  is  commonly  our  nature,  that  when  we 

have  made  one  lie,  we  must  make  twenty  others  to  defend 

that  one. — This  is  now  the  first  armour  that  we  should  have, 

namely,  truth.    St  Augustine2  writeth  very  terribly  of  lyings, 

and  against  those  that  use  lyino;.      There  be  some  that  make  a  jesting  lie 

°  .       .         T.  ,  v  makethusto 

a  diner  ence  between  a  jesting  he,  and  an  earnest  he:  but  I  forsake  God. 
tell  you,  it  is  good  to  abstain  from  them  both,  for  God  is  the 
truth.     When  we  forsake  the  truth,  we  forsake  God. 

Now  the  second  weapon  is  to  be  just,  to  give  every  man 
that  which  we  owe  unto  him  :   to  the  king  that  which  per- 
taineth  unto  him ;  to  our  landlords  what  we  owe  unto  them ; 
to  our   curate    or   parson  what   pertaincth    unto    him ;    and  a  ^eat  nmn- 
though  the  curate  be  unlearned,  and  not  able  to  do  his  duty,  [h**™f,h.^ 
yet  we  may  not  withdraw  from  him,  of  private  authority,  that  ^*^ 
thing  winch  is  appointed   unto  him   by  common   authority.  hath- 
No,  not  so :  we  ought  to  let  him  have  his  duty ;  but  when  he  "£*££*  not 
is  naught,  or  unapt  to  be  in  the  place  of  a  curate,  then  we  ^™{J|.with 
may  complain  to  the  ordinary,  and  desire  a  better  for  him. 
So  likewise  between  married  folks  there  shall  be  justice  ;  that 
is  to  say,  they  shall  do  their  duties :  the  man  shall  love  his 
wife,  shall  honour  her,  shall  not  be  rigorous,  but  admonish 
her  lovingly:   again,  the -wife  shall  be  obedient,  loving,  and 
kind  towards  her  husband ;  not  provoking  him  to  anger  with 
ill  and  naughty  words.      Further,  the  parents  ought  to  do  Justice  wnd- 

o      J  »        .       r  _  o  etl,  an  estates 

justice  towards  their  children,  to  bring  them  up  m  godliness  {j°u[!°st^ert0 
and  virtue ;  to  correct  them  when  they  do  naught :  likewise  mother. 
the  children  ought  to  be  obedient  unto  their  parents,  and  be 
willing  to  do  according  unto  their  commandment.  Item,  the  mas- 
ters ought  to  do  justice  unto  their  servants,  to  let  them  have 
their  meat  and  drink,  and  their  wages :  again,  the  servants 
ought  to  be  diligent  in  their  master's  businesses ;  to  do  them 
truly,  not  to  be  eye-servants.  Likewise,  the  subjects  ought 
to  be  obedient  to  their  king  and  magistrate  :  again,   the  king 

[2  Especially  in  his  treatises  de  Mendacio,  and  contra  Mendacium, 
Oper.  Tom.  vi.  col.  307  et  seq.  Edit.  Bened.  Antwerp.  1701.] 


504  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

ought  to  do  justice,  to  see  that  justice  have  place.  Finally, 
one  neighbour  ought  to  have  justice  with  another  ;  that  is,  to 
give  Mm  what  pertaineth  unto  him ;  not  to  deceive  him  in 
any  thing,  but  to  love  him,  and  to  make  much  of  lnm.  When 
we  do  so,  then  are  we  sure  we  have  the  second  part  of  this 
armour  of  God. 
The  third  Thirdly,  we  must  be   shod,  we  must  have   shoen :   that 

armour  is         . 

ourshncs ;     ls  to  say,  we  must  be  ready  to  hear  God's  holy  word ;  we 
hear'thee  word  mns^  have  good  affections  to  hear  God's  word ;  and  we  must 
of  God.        ke  ready  to  make  provision  for  the  furtherance  of  the  preach- 
ing of  God's  holy  word,  as  far  forth  as  we  be  able  to  do. 
Now  all  these  that  have  such  lusts  and  desires  to  God's  word; 
item,  all  those  that  are  content  to  maintain  the  office  of  preach- 
ing, to  find  scholars  to  school ;  all  these  have  their  battling 
shoen,  which  St  Paul  requircth  of  them. 
The  buckler  Now  when  wo  be  shod,  we  must  have  a  buckler  :  that  is, 

of  faith. 

faith ;  and  this  must  be  a  right  faith,  a  faith  according  unto 
God's  word :  for  the  Turks  have  their  faith,  so  likewise  the 
Jews  have  their  faith.  Item,  the  false  Christians  have  their 
faith,  but  they  have  not  the  right  faith :  not  that  faith  of 
which  St  Paul  speaketh  here ;  but  they  have  a  Jidem  men- 
dacem,  a  false  faith,  a  deceivable  faith ;  for  it  is  not  ground- 
ed  in  God's  word :  therefore  the  right  faith  cannot  be  gotten 
except  by  God's  word.  And  the  word  worketh  not,  hath  no 
Who  they  be  commodities,  except  it  be  taken  with  faith.      Now  we  inav 

that  have  this  1  J 

buckler.  try  ourselves,  whether  we  have  this  faith  or  not.  If  we  lie 
in  sin  and  wickedness,  care  not  for  God's  word  and  his  holy 
commandments,  but  live  only  according  to  our  lusts  and  ap- 
petites, then  we  have  not  this  faith :  when  we  be  slothful, 
when  we  be  whoremongers,  swearers,  or  unmerciful  unto  the 
poor,  then  we  have  not  this  faith,  as  long  as  we  be  in  such 
customable  sins.  But  if  we  hear  God's  word,  believe,  and  be 
content  to  live  after  it,  leave  our  sins  and  iniquities ;  then 
we  have  that  faith  of  which  St  Paul  speaketh  here,  then  we 
"  shall  be  able  to  quench  the  fiery  arrows  of  the  devil." 

So  ye  have  heard  what  the  armour  of  God  is,  namely, 
truth,  justice,  readiness  to  hear  God's  word,  and  faith :  but 
this  faith  must  not  be  only  in  our  mouth,  in  our  tongue,  but 
it  must  be  in  our  hearts 1 ;  that  is  to  say,  we  must  not  only 

[!  hands,  1562.] 


XXVII.]     EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.     505 

talk  of  tlie  gospel,  but  also  we  must  follow  it  in  our  con- 
versations and  livings. 

Now  then,   we   must   have  a  helmet,   a   sallet,  that   is.  The  helmet 
salvation.     Whatsoever  we  do,  we  must  consider  whether  it  °  s 
may  further  or  let  us  of  our  salvation.    When  it  may  let  thee 
of  thy  salvation,  leave  it;   when  it  may  further  thee,  then 
do  it.     So  throughout  all  our  lives  we  must  have  a  respect, 
whether  our  doings  may  stand  with  our  salvation  or  not. 

When  we  are  now  ready  and  armed  round  about,  so 
that  our  enemy  cannot  hurt  us,  then  we  must  have  a  sword 
in  our  hands  to  fight  withal,  and  to  overcome  our  ghostly 
enemy.  What  maimer  of  sword  is  this?  It  is2  God's  word : 
it  is  a  spiritual  sword,  which  all  people  ought  to  have.  Here 
ye  hear  that  all  men  and  women  ought  to  have  that  sword, 
that  is  the  word  of  God,  wherewith  they  may  fight  against 
the  devil.  Noay  I  pray  you,  how  could  the  lay  people  have  we  may  not 
that  sword,  how  could  they  fight  with  the  devil,  when  all  sword. 
things  were  in  Latin,  so  that  they  could  not  understand  it? 
Therefore,  how  needful  it  is  for  every  man  to  have  God's 
word,  it  appeareth  here ;  for  only  with  the  word  of  God  we 
must  fight  against  the  devil,  which  devil  intendeth  daily  to 
do  us  mischief.  How  could  now  the  unlearned  fight  against 
him,  when  all  tilings  were  in  Latin,  so  that  they  might  not 
come  to  the  understanding  of  God's  word?  Therefore  let  us 
give  God  most  hearty  thanks  that  we  have  God's  word,  and 
let  us  thankfully  use  the  same ;  for  only  with  God's  word  only  Gods 
we  shall  avoid  and  chase  the  devil,  and  with  nothing  else,  weapon 

°  against  ths 

Our  Saviour  when  he  was  tempted,  what  were  his  weapons  ?  divi1- 
Wherewith  fought  he?    Nothing  else  but  with  God's  word3. 
When  the  devil  tempted  him,  he  ever  said,  Scriptum  est,  "  It  cimst  over- 
is  written."    When  the  devil  would  have  him  to  cast  himself  Aey\i  with 

tins  weapon. 

down  from  the  temple,  he  said  unto  liim,  Scriptum  est,  non 
tentabis  Donrinum  Dewn  tuum ;  "  It  is  written,  Thou  shalt 
not  tempt  thy  Lord  God :"  that  is  to  say,  we  may  not  put 
God  to  do  any4  thing  miraculously,  when  it  may  be  done 
other  ways.  Again,  upon  the  mountain,  when  the  devil 
would  have  him  to  worship  him,  he  said,  Scriptum  est,  "  It 

[2  Marry,  it  is,  1562.] 

[3  what  were  his  weapons  wherewith  he  fought  ?  Nothing  else  but 
God's  word,  1562.] 

[»  that  thing,  1562,  1572.] 


506  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERJVl. 

is  written,  Thou  shalt  honour  thy  God  only."  So  likewise 
we  must  have  God's  word  to  light  with  the  devil,  and  to 
withstand  his  temptations  and  assaults.  As  when  the  devil 
moveth  me  to  commit  adultery,  I  must  fight  against  him 
with  the  word  of  God :  Scriptum  est,  "It  is  written,  Thou 
shalt  not  commit  adultery.  Thou  devil,  thou  shalt  not  be 
able  to  bring  me  unto  it,  to  do  against  my  Lord  God." 
So  likewise,  when  the  devil  moveth  me  to  make  lies,  I  must 
confound  him  with  God's  word.  St  Paul  saith,  Veritatem 
loquimini  quisque  cum  proximo  suo;  "  Speak  the  truth  every 
say  the  truth  one    to    his    neighbour:"     as    there    is    a    common    saying 

and  shame  «  ,  i  ,       ,  i  i       -t    „ 

the devii.  amongst  us,  "Say  the  truth  and  shame  the  devil:  so  every 
one,  man  and  woman,  must  fight  against  the  devil.  But  we 
preachers,  we  have  a  greater  and  higher  degree :  we  are 
magistrates,  we  have  the  spiritual  sword  of  God,  in  a  higher 
degree  than,  the  common  people ;  we  must  rebuke  other  men, 
and  spare  no  man.  Our  office  is  to  teach  every  man  the 
way  to  heaven ;  and  whosoever  will  not  follow,  but  liveth 
The  preacher  still  in  sin  and  wickedness,  him  ought  we  to  strike,  and  not 
ri'ty  t(>  tiike  to  spare.      Like  as  John  Baptist  did,  when  he  said  to  the 

with  the  r  ,  l  . 

tiud'iword  great  and  proud  king  Herod,  Non  licet  tibi;  "Sir,  it  be- 
cometh  not  thee  to  do  so."  So  we  preachers,  must  use 
God's  word  to  the  correction  of  other  men's  sins ;  we  may 
not  be  flatterers  or  claw-backs.  Other  people,  that  have  not 
this  vocation,  may  exhort  every  one  his  neighbour  to  leave 
sins ;  but  we  have  the  sword,  we  are  authorised  to  strike 
them  with  God's  word. 

Now  the  last  part  of  this  armour  is  prayer:  and  I 
warrant  you  it  is  not  left  out ;  for  it  is  the  christian  man's 
special  weapon,  wherewith  to  strike  the  devil,  and  vanquish 
his  assaults.  And  if  we  be  weak,  and  feel  ourselves  not 
able  to  withstand  our  enemy,  we  must  fall  to  prayer,  which 
is  a  sure  remedy ;  to  desire  God  to  help  for  his  own  sake, 
and  for  Christ's  sake,  for  his  promise'  sake.  For  he  were 
not  God,  if  he  should  not  keep  his  promises;  therefore 
Christ  commandeth  us  to  pray  always  when  we  have  need  : 
and  no  doubt  there  is  never  a  time  but  we  have  need,  either 
for  ourselves,  or  else  for  our  neighbours.  Therefore  to  pray 
we  have  need,  and  we  shall  overcome  the  devil  with  faithful 
prayer u the  prayer;  for  prayer  is  the  principal  weapon  wherewith  we 
weapon!       mUst  fight  against  the  devil.      I  speak  of  faithful   prayer : 


XXVII.]    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY   AFTER  TRINITY.      507 

for  in  times  past  we  took  bibbling  babbling  for  prayer,  when 
it  was  nothing  less ;  and  therefore  St  Paul  addeth,  Spiritu, 
"  In  spirit."  We  must  pray  in  spirit,  with  a  penitent  heart : 
for  there  is  no  man  that  hath  an  ill  conscience  that  doth 
pray  in  spirit.  He  that  is  a  whoremonger,  or  a  swearer, 
a  carder,  or  dicer,  a  drunkard,  or  such  like,  that  praycth, 
his  prayer  hath  no  effect.  As  long  as  he  is  in  purpose  of 
sin,  he  cannot  pray :  when  he  cannot  pray,  then  he  is 
unarmed ;  he  hath  not  these  weapons  of  which  St  Paul 
speaketh  here.  But  he  that  hath  a  penitent  heart,  to  leave 
his  sins  and  wickedness,  that  same  is  he  whose  prayers  shall 
be  heard.  And  when  we  pray,  we  may  not  do  it  waveringly  The  mini 
or  rashly,  without  consideration ;  our  mouth  speaking,  and  If  we  sha2 

lii-  •  -i      be  heard. 

the  heart  being  occupied  with  other  matters :  we  may  not  do 
so,  we  must  pray  with  great  earnestness  and  ferventness. 

At  the  last,  when  he  hath  set  out  the  properties  of  pray- 
ers, then  he  saith,  "  for  all  saints."  Here  ye  may  consider, 
that  when  we  know  not  scripture,  how  blind  we  be,  and  have 
been  in  times  past.  For  we  thought  only  those  to  be  saints 
and  holy,  that  be  gone  out  of  this  world ;  but  it  is  not  so. 
All  they  that  believe  in  our  Saviour  Christ,  that  call  upon  ah  christians 
his  name,  and  look  to  be  saved  by  him,  those  same  be  God's 
saints.  All  faithful  Christ's  people,  that  believe  in  him  faith- 
fully1, are  saints  and  holy. 

Now,  when  he  hath  done,  and  set  out  all  his  mind,  at  the  st  Paul  did 
last  he  cometh  and  desireth  them  to  pray  for  him :  but  for  benefices. or 
what  ?    Not  to  get  a  fat  benefice  or  a  bishopric.     No,  no ; 
St  Paul  was  not  a  hunter  for2  benefices :  he  saith,  "  Pray 
that  I  may  have  utterance  and  boldness  to  speak."     And 
this  was  requisite   to   his  office :   for  though  a  preacher  be 
well   learned,   but  yet   lacketh  that   boldness,  and   is   faint- 
hearted, truly  he  shall  do  but  little  good  for  all  his  learning. 
When  he  fearcth  men  more  than  God,  he  is  nothing  to  be 
regarded.     Therefore  this  is  the  thing  that  St  Paul  so  much 
desireth,  to  have  boldness  to  speak :  for  when  a  preacher's 
mouth  is  stopped,  so  that  he  dare  not  rebuke  sin  and  wicked-  Afeint- 
ness,  no  doubt  he  is  not  meet  for  his  office.      Now,  like  as'1"""/1 

meet  to  he 

St  Paul  required  the  Ephesians  to  pray  for  him,  that  he  may  » preacher, 
have  utterance,  (for  this  was  most  necessary  for  his  office ;)  so 

[i  believe  in  him,  are,  1562.]  [2  of,  1562.] 


508  SERMONS    TllEACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

let  every  one  pray  unto  God,  and  desire  others  to  pray  for 
him,  that  he  may  do  the  works  of  his  vocation.  As  for  an 
ensample :  when  he  is  a  married  man,  let  him  pray  unto  God 
that  he  may  love  his  wife,  cherish  her,  honour  and  bear  with 
Aii  estates     ]ier  infirmities.      So  likewise,  let  all  the  faithful  servants  call 

nave  need 

to  pray.  upon  God,  that  they  may  do  the  duty  of  their  vocation.  So 
likewise,  let  magistrates  be  fervent  in  prayer ;  for  no  doubt 
they  have  need;  for  they  have  a  great  charge  committed 
unto  them  of  God :  therefore  they  have  the  more  need  of 
the  help  of  God.  Tea,  let  every  good  subject  pray  unto 
God  for  the  magistrates,  that  they  may  do  their  duties  ac- 
cording unto  God's  will  and  commandment.  And  no  doubt 
this  is  a  good  prayer,  when  one  faithful  man  prayeth  for  the 
other :  such  prayer  shall  not  be  in  vain ;  God  will  hear  it, 
and  grant  such  faithful  prayers. 

wiiYwoik"0  There  be  many  men  in  the  world,  which  think  that  prayer 
is  will-work ;  so  that  they  may  do  it,  or  omit  it :  but  it  is 
not  so ;  they  be  much  deceived.  For  it  is  as  necessary  for 
me  when  I  am  in  tribulation  to  call  upon  God,  and  I  ought 
to  do  it  under  the  pain  of  damnation,  as  well  as  I  am 
bound  to  keep  any  of  his  commandments.  By  the  virtue  of 
this  commandment,  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal,"  I  may  not  take 
away  other  men's  goods :  so  by  this  commandment,  "  Thou 
shalt  not  commit  adultery,"  I  may  not  defile  another  man's 
wife :  so  by  the  virtue  of  this  commandment,  Invoca  me  in 
die  tribulationis,   "  Call  upon  me  in  the  time  of  trouble," 

it  is  dam-      I  ouo'ht  and  am  bound,  under  the  pain  of  damnation,  to  re- 
liable not  to  °  x 

inatroubieKi  sort  unto  ^od,  to  call  upon  him,  to  seek  aid  and  help  by  him 
at  his  hands.  For  this  is  as  well  God's  commandment  as 
the  other  is  :  therefore  I  desire  you  most  earnestly,  set  not 
light  by  prayer ;  remember  that  it  is  the  commandment  of 
God.  And  again,  it  is  the  only  stay,  Ultimum  refugium, 
the  only  help,  to  come  to  God,  and  desire  his  help  in 
Christ's  name.  For  by  prayer  Peter  being  in  prison  was 
delivered.  Likewise  Moses,  by  the  efficacy  of  liis  prayer, 
went  through  the  Red  Sea,  he  and  all  his  people.  So  was 
Ezechias  the  king  delivered  from  his  sickness  by  his  prayer. 
Earned  %?  Also1,  Elias  the  prophet  stopped  the  rain  a  long  time,  and 
wspromise*  ^^  ^  pra,yers  he  brought  rain  again.     If  I   should  go 

[i  Item,  15G2.] 


XXVII.]    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.      509 

through  all  the  stories  which  shew  us  the  efficacy  of  prayers, 
I  should  never  have  done ;  for  no  doubt  faithful  prayer  fail- 
eth  never,  it  hath  ever  remedied  all  matters.  For  it  brought 
to  pass,  that  when  God  would  destroy  the  Israelites,  he  could 
not,  because  of  Moses's  prayers ;  Moses  letted  God  of  his 
purpose.  And  no  doubt  God  lovcth  to  be  letted,  for  God 
loveth  not  to  punish  or  destroy  the  people ;  and  therefore 
by  a  prophet  God  complained  that  there  was  not  found  a 
good  man,  qui  poneret  se  tanquam  murum,  "  which  might 
set  himself  like  as  a  strong  wall  before  the  people :"  that  is 
to  say,  which  were  so  earnest  in  prayer,  that  God  could  not 
punish  the  people. 

Now  ye  have  heard  how  that  prayer  is  a  commandment : 
we  shall2  in  every  distress  prav  unto  God,  saying,  "  Lord  Agodiyami 

„      ,         ,  ./.iii  ii-i     Profitable 

God,  thou  art  merciiul,  thou  knowest  my  weakness,  which  prayer, 
hast  promised  to  help :  therefore,  for  thy  Son's  sake,  for 
thy  mercies1  sake,  for  thy  goodness'  sake,  for  thy  truth's 
sake,  help  me  and  deliver  me  out  of  my  distress,  forgive  me 
my  sins."  Surely,  whosoever  prayeth  so  instantly,  ho  shall 
be  heard  :  but  oportet  semper  orare,  "  We  must  pray  at  all  we  must 

.  ,  .  .      .  .  iii  pray  at  all 

times,    without  intermission :  when  we  go  to   bed,  when  we  times. 

rise  in  the  morning,  when  we  go  about  our  business,  or  when 

we  are  on  horseback,  ever  pray :  for  a  short  prayer  is  able  a  short 

1        "  .  prayer  u  of 

to  bring  a  great  thing  to  pass,  as  it  appeared  in  the  pub-  great  force. 
lican,  which  said  only,  Propitius  esto  mihi  peccatori;  "  Lord,  Lukexvin. 
be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner."     Therefore  Christ  saith,   Vigi- 
late  et  orate  ne  intretis  in  tentationem ;  "  Watch  and  pray, 
lest  ye  enter  into  temptation ;"  that  is,  lest  you  be  overcome 
with  it. 

Now  remember  what  I  have  said  unto  you :  consider  what 
an  enemy  we  have,  what  power  he  hath,  what  experience  and 
practice :  again,  how  weak  he  is  when  Christ  is  with  us. 
Remember  the  armour ;  namely,  truth,  justice,  love  to  the 
hearing  of  God's  word,  faith  and  salvation ;  ever  consider 
whether  your  doings  be  to  the  let  of  your  salvation  or  not. 
Remember  the  sword;  though  ye  have  it  not  in  so  high  a 
degree  as  we  have  it,  which  may  strike  kings  and  emperors,  Preachers 
when  they  transgress  the  word  of  God,  as  it  appeared  in  emperors  and 
Elias,   which   struck  the  king   Ahab.     Also3   John   Baptist 

[2  must,  1607.]  p  Item,  1502.] 


510  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

struck  that  sturdy  king  Herod.  If  they  had  been  faint- 
hearted, they  should  not  have  done  so.  But  specially  I 
would  have  you  to  remember  prayer :  when  ye  be  in  any 
anguish  and  trouble,  and  cannot  tell  how  to  relieve  your- 
selves, run  to  God.  Now  they  that  shall  and  will  regard 
that  armour  of  God,  taught  us  by  the  apostle  St  Paul,  the 
devil  no  doubt  shall  not  prevail  against  them.  Therefore, 
if  we  would  put  on  this  armour,  we  should  come  to  such 
a  practice  of  it,  that  the  devil  should  be  afraid  to  come 
at  us;  yea,  and  when  ho  cometh,  he  shall  soon  be  cast  off 
and  avoided.  The  Almighty  God,  winch  ruleth  heaven  and 
earth  with  his  infinite  power,  give  us  such  strength,  that 
we  may  be  able  to  vanquish  the  devil,  and  all  his  might ! 
Amen. 


XXVIII.] 


THE  FOURTH  SERMON  OF  MASTER  LATIMER'S. 


PHILIPPIANS  HI.  [17,  18.] 

Imitatores  mci  estote,  fratres,  et  observate  eos  qui  ita  ambulant  sicut  habe- 
tisformam  nostram.    3fulti  enim  ambulant,  quos  scepe  dicebam  vobis,&;c. 

Brethren,  be  followers  together  of  me,  and  look  on  them  which  walk  Read  in  the 

churc 

twenl 
Sund 
Trinity 


even  so  as  ye  have  us  for  an  ensample.     For  many  walk,  of  whom  chl 


twenty-third 

I  have  told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you  weeping,  that  they  are  j""^  after 
the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ. 


This  is  the  epistle  which  is  read  this  day  in  the  church,  a< 
and  containeth  many  good  things.  And  this  day  two  year  Stamford. 
I  entreated  of  the  gospel  of  this  day  at  Stamford ;  and  such 
matters  as  I  had  in  hand,  were  gathered  of  a  diligent  person 
and  put  in  print.  The  gospel  was  this :  "  Give  unto  Caesar 
that  thing  that  pertaineth  unto  Caesar,  and  unto  God  that 
thing  that  pertaineth  unto  God."  I  will  rehearse  in  few 
words  that  which  I  said  at  the  same  time. 

The  Pharisees  and  scribes  asked  Christ  our  Saviour, 
whether  they  should  give  tribute  unto  Caesar  or  not ;  for  it 
irked  them  that  they  should  pay  tribute ;  they  thought  it 
to  be  a  great  servitude :  but  they  asked  Christ  this  ques- 
tion of  a  mischievous  mind,  intending  to  take  Mm  in  his 
words.  But  he  disappointed  them  prettily,  asking  whose  The  phan- 
image  the  money  bare  ?  They  answered,  "  The  emperor's."  appointed. 
Then  our  Saviour  saith,  "  Give  therefore  unto  the  emperor 
that  that  pertaineth  unto  liim,  and  unto  God  that  which 
pertaineth  unto  God."  They  spake  nothing  of  God,  but 
only  of  the  tribute ;  but  our  Saviour  in  his  answer  telleth 
them  and  all  the  world  their  duties :  yet  he  doth  it  with 
dark  and  covered  words.  They  confessed  that  the  image 
was  the  emperor's,  and  so  consequently  subject  unto  him  : 
then  our  Saviour  commanded  them  to  pay  according  unto 
the  order ;  as  the  emperor  had  agreed  with  them,  that  was 
their  duty  to  do.  Our  Saviour  he  referred  them  to  their 
laws,  signifying  that  they  ought  to  obey  the  laws  in  their 


51! 


SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 


The  prince 
must  be 
obeyed  in 
things  not 
against  God 


This  lesson  is  commonwealth ;  and  so  ouo-ht  we  to  do  too :  for  our  Saviour 

given  tn  us  as  .  ° 

jewV" t0  the  in  s  answer  teachetn  not  only  them,  but  us  also  ;  for  like  as 
it  was  with  the  Jews,  so  is  it  with  us  here  in  England.  Our 
sovereign  lord  the  king,  when  he  lacketh  any  thing  to  the 
defence  of  his  realm,  it  is  presented  in  the  parliament ;  there 
is  required  such  things  as  be  necessary  for  the  king's  affairs. 
Now  look,  whatsoever  is  granted  unto  his  majesty  by  the 
parliament,  the  whole  realm  is  bound  in  conscience  to  pay 
it,  every  man  as  it  is  required  of  him :  and  that  is  our  due 
unto  the  king ;  namely,  to  give  and  do  our  duties  in  all 
things  towards  our  sovereign  lord  the  king :  as  far  forth 
as  it  is  not  against  God,  we  must  obey  him,  and  do  his 
requests. 

But  now  ye  will  say,  "  Tins  is  a  great  bondage,  and 
a  heavy  yoke  and  servitude."  Consider  therefore,  who 
speaketh  these  words ;  who  is  he  that  commanded  us  to  be 
obedient?  Verily1,  our  Saviour  himself.  Now  he  saith, 
Meum  jugum  leve  est,  "  My  yoke  is  light :"  how  chanced 
it  then  that  he  will  lay  upon  me  such  a  heavy  burthen  ? 
For  it  is  a  great  burthen  for  me  to  forego  my  goods ;  as 
when  there  is  a  subsidy,  so  that  the  king  requireth  one 
shilling  of  every  pound.  Now  I  am  worth  forty  pound, 
and  so  I  pay  forty  shillings ;  to  which  money  the  king  hath 
as  good  right,  as  to  any  inheritance  which  his  majesty  hath. 
And  this  I  speak  to  this  end,  for  I  fear  this  realm  be  full 
of  thieves ;  for  he  is  a  thief  that  withdraweth  any  thing 
from  any  man,  whosoever  he  be.  Now  I  put  the  case :  it 
is  allowed  by  the  parliament,  by  common  authority,  that 
the  king  shall  have  one  shilling  of  every  pound,  and  there 
be  certain  men  appointed  in  every  shire  which  be  valuers  : 
when  I  now  either  corrupt  the  valuer,  or  swear,  against 
my  conscience,  that  I  am  not  worth  an  hundred  pounds 
when  I  am  worth  two  hundred,  here  I  am  a  thief  before 
God,  and  shall  be  hanged  for  it  in  hell.  Now,  how  many 
thieves,  think  ye,  are  there  in  England,  which  will  not  be 
valued  above  ten  pound  when  they  be  worth  a  hundred 
pound  ?      But  this  is  a  pitiful  thing,   and  God  will  punish 

Gods  matters  them   one   day ;    for   God's   matters    are   not   to    be   trifled 

may  not  be  " 

tripled  withal.  Withal  ! 

Now  ye  will  say,  "  Tins  is  a  heavy  yoke,  and  intoler- 
[i  Marry,  1562.] 


This  realm 
is  full  of 
thieves. 


XXVIII.]   EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-THIRD   SUNDAY   AFTER  TRINITY.   513 

able  to  bear."  Sirs,  I  will  tell  ye  what  ye  shall  do :  consider 
every  one  with  himself,  what  Christ  hath  done  for  us ;  from 
what  great  and  intolerable  a  burthen  he  hath  delivered  us. 
When  ye  consider  that,  this  burthen  which  the  king  layeth 
upon  us  will  be  light  enough  unto  us;  for  Christ  hath  de- 
livered us  from  the  burthen  of  our  sins.  When  we  consider  Two  things 
that,   first,  who  he  is2  that  commandeth  it  unto  us:  second- weshalll>e 

well  content 

anly,  what  he  hath  done  for  us  that  biddeth  us  to  obey,  0°fch^wi" 
no  doubt  we  shall  be  well  content  withal.  But  there  be 
a  great  many  of  us  which  consider  not  that,  but  rather 
deceive  the  king,  or  forswear  themselves,  or  else  rebel 
against  the  king ;  which  things,  no  doubt,  displease  God 
most  highly  and  grievously.  Another  thing  is,  that  should 
move  us  to  bear  this  burthen  willingly,  which  is,  his  promise. 
For  whosoever  will  be  content  to  pay  his  duty  truly  and  He  that  Pay- 

...  .  .  11  i     11     i  eth  his  duty 

uprightly,  as  he  ought  to  do,    that   man   shall   have   never  shaii  have 

1      °        «  °  never  the 

the   less   in   fulfilling    the    commandment    of    God.      For   so Iess- 

saith    God :    "  If   thou    shalt    hearken    diligently   unto    the  Deut.  xxvffi. 

voice  of  the  Lord,  thou  shalt  be  blessed  in  the  town,  and 

blessed  in  the  fields,"  &c.      So  that  if  we  do  according  as 

he  willeth  us  to  do,  if  we  give  unto  the  king  that  which 

pertaineth  unto  the  king,  no  doubt  we  shall  be  blessed  ;  we 

shall  have  never  the  less,  for  God's  blessing  will  light  upon 

us.      But   there   be   a    great    many   amongst   us,    which   do 

not  believe  these3  things  to  be  true  :  they  believe  not  the 

promises  of  God ;  and  so  they  make  God  a  liar ;  for  Qui 

non  credit  Deo  facit  Deum  mendacem,  "  He  that  believeth 

not  God,  maketh  God  a  liar."     Now  if  this  will  not  move 

us   to    do    our   duties,    namely,   that    Christ   hath    delivered 

us  from  the  great  burthen    of  our   sins,    let   us   be   moved 

at  the  leastways  with  his  promises ;   namely,  that  Ave  shall  Wc  shaii  in- 

....  .  .  .  crease  our 

increase  our  good  m  doing  our  duties  unto  the  king.  goods  bypay- 

This  little  I  thought  good  to  say,  and  so  to  put  you  in  kl"«- 
remembrance  of  such  things  as  I  said4  at  that  time  :  for  if 
this  were  well  considered,  we  would  be  willing  to   do   our 
duties,  and  so  please  God  withal ;  for  God  loveth  a  cheerful  God  loveth 
obeyer,  one  that  with  a  good-will  is  ready  to  do  such  things  obeyer. 
as  he  appointeth  him. 

Now  let  us  turn  to  the  epistle.     "  Brethren,  be  followers 

[2  is  he,  1562.]  [a  those,  1562.]  [*  have  said,  1562.] 

r  t  38 

[LATIMER.] 


514  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

together  of  me,  and  look  on  them  that  walk  even  so 
as  ye  have  us  for  an  ensaraplc."  These  are  marvellous 
Paul's  words  Words  of  St  Paul,  which  seem  outwardly  to  be  arrogantly 
no"tsobut  ar°  sP°ken  :  ^  any  man  should  say  so  at  this  time,  we  would 
think  him  to  be  a  very  arrogant  fellow.  But  ye  must 
see  that  ye  right  understand  St  Paul ;  for  he  spake  these 
words  not  of  an  arrogant  mind.  First,  ye  must  consider 
with  whom  he  had  to  do,  namely,  with  false  apostles,  which 
did  corrupt  God's  most  holy  word,  the  gospel,  which  he 
had  preached  before.  And  so  the  same  false  prophets  did 
much  harm ;  for  a  great  number  of  people  did  credit  them, 
and  followed  their  doctrine ;  which  things  grieved  St  Paul 
very  sore :  therefore  he  admonished  them,  as  who  say, 
"Ye  have  preachers  amongst  you,  I  would  not  have  you 
to  follow  them ;  follow  rather  me,  and  them  that  walk  like 
as  I  do."  This  was  not  arrogantly  spoken,  but  rather 
lovingly,  to  keep  them  from  error.  He  saith  the  same 
to  the  Corinthians,  in  the  eleventh  chapter,  saying,  "  Be 
ye  the  followers  of  me :"  but  there  he  addeth,  "  As  I  am 
the  follower  of  Christ."  So  put  the  same  words  hither, 
set  them  together,  and  then  all  is  well.  For  I  tell  you,  it 
it  is  a  danger- is  a  dangerous  thins:  to  follow  men;  and  we  are  not  bound 

ous  thing  to  ~  " 

foiiow  men.  t0  follow  them,  further  than  they  follow  Christ.  We  ought 
not  to  live  after  any  saint,  nor  after  St  Paul,  or  Peter, 
nor  after  Mary  the  mother  of  Christ,  to  follow  them,  I 
say,  universally :  we  are  not  bound  so  to  do,  for  they  did 
many  things  amiss.  Therefore  let  us  follow  them  as  they 
follow  Christ ;  for  our  Saviour  Christ  giveth  us  a  general 
rule  and  warning,  saying,  "  Whatsoever  they  teach  you, 
do  it ;  but  after  their  works  do  ye  not :"  and  he  addeth, 
"  Sitting  in  Moses's  chair,"  that  is  to  say,  when  they  teach 
Leam  how  the  truth.  So  that  we  ought  to  follow  them  that  teach  the 
i,,  in  h,i. '  truth  ;  but  when  they  do  naught,  wo  should  not  follow  them. 
Therefore  he  saith  in  another  place,  Nisi  abundaverit  ves- 
tra  justitia,  "  Except  your  righteousness  be  more  than  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  This  he  speaketh  of  the  clergymen,  giving  us 
warning  not  to  do  as  they  did.  We  must  have  such  a 
righteousness  as  may  stand  before  God ;  we  are  not  ap- 
pointed to  follow  saints :  as  when  I  hear  this  saint  hath 
prayed   so   many  psalms,    so   many  hours   in  a  day,   I    am 


XXVIII.]    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.     515 

not  bound  in  conscience  to  follow  him,  to  be  his  ape,  and  we  are  not 

,  ,        ...  -  ...  .     L  bound  to  be 

to  do  as  he  did;  my  vocation  being  contrary  unto  it.  saints' apes. 

There  is  a  place  in  the  second  of  Machabces,  the  twelfth  2  Mace.  *». 
chapter,  where  we  read  how  that  Judas  Machabeus,  that 
hearty  captain,  sendeth  certain  money  to  Jerusalem,  to  make 
a  sacrifice  for  the  dead.  Now  Judas  did  this;  but  it  fol- Judas  Macca- 
loweth  not,  that  we  are  bound  in  conscience  to  do  the  like,  befoUow«L° 
as  the  papists,  which  by  and  by  conclude  upon  it :  "  Judas 
did  tins,  and  he  was  a  godly  man ;  therefore  we  should  do 
it  too,  we  should  follow  his  ensample,  and  sacrifice  for  the 
dead."  Nego  argumentum:  it  is  a  naughty  argument,  to 
conclude  upon  that  thing  which  he  did  devoutly,  having 
not  God's  word,  He  did  it,  ergo,  it  was  well  done :  for  we 
are  not  bound  to  follow  them  in  their  doings.  For  if  Mary, 
the  mother  of  Christ,  should  have  done  somewhat  disagreeing 
from  God's  word,  we  should  not  follow  her,  which  indeed 
hath  had  her  fault,  as  St  Augustine  plainly  afnrmeth  in  the 
third  treatise  upon  John ;  where  she  moved  Christ  to  do  a 
miracle,  when  their  wine  was  lacking  at  the  marriage ;  when 
our  Saviour  called  her,  Midler,  "  Woman,  what  have  I  to  do 
with  thee  ?"  As  who  say,  "  To  do  miracles  is  my  Father's 
work,  and  he  knoweth  the  time  when  it  is  best  to  be  done ; 
what  have  you  to  do  with  it?"  Where  Chrysostom  and 
Augustine l  plainly  affirm,  that  Mary  was  somewhat  arrogant.  Mary  was 
So  likewise  it  appeared  in  the  evangelist  Matthew,  where  a^dgMt 
she,  interrupting  his  sermon,  desired  to  speak  with  him ;  and 
a  fellow  told  him,  when  he  was  teaching  the  people,  saying, 
"  Thy  mother  is  here,  and  would  speak  with  thee ;"  he  an- 
swered and  said,  "Who  is  my  mother,  or  sister,  or  brother?" 
And  stretched  out  his  hand,  saying,  "  Whosoever  doth  the 
will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  he  is  my  mother,  sister, 
and  brother."  So  likewise,  when  he  was  but  twelve  years 
of  age,  his  mother  and  father  seeking  him,  he  said,  Nescitis, 

[*■  Miraculum  ergo  exigebat  mater,  at  ille  tanquam  non  agnoscit 
viscera  humana,  operaturus  facta  divina,  tanquam  dicens,  Quod  de  me 
facit  miraculum,  non  tu  genuisti;  divinitatem  meam  non  tu  genuisti. 
In  Joan.  Evangel,  c.  1.  Tract,  viii.  Oper.  Tom.  in.  par.  2.  col.  260. 
Edit.  Bened.  Antw.  1700.  ovttco  i$K(t  r;  apa  pov.  oi/SeVco  yvcopipos  elpi 
ro'is  TtapoxxTLV,  ak\  ovde  \o~ao~iv  on  vareprjafv  olvos.  i'acrov  avrrns  alarde'crdai 
tovto  irpuiTov.  ovbe  yap  irapa  crov  ravra  p.e  aKOvav  i^prjv.  prjTTjp  yap  el, 
teal  to  dai/fia  vttotttov  irouls.  Chrysostom.  in  Joan.  Horn.  22.  Oper. 
Tom.  viii.  Edit.  Bened.  Paris.  1728.] 

33—2 


516  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

"Know  ye  not  that  I  must  be  in  the  business  of  my  Father?" 
Now,  in  all  these  places,  as  the  writers  say,  Passa  est  hu-\ 
manum ;   "  She  hath  shewed  her  frail  nature :"   shall  we  go 
now  and  follow  her  ?    No,  no,  we  may  not  do  so.      St  Paul 
teacheth  us  how  we  shall  follow  them,  and  in  what  things  : 

c,ai.  iv.  Bonum  est  cemulari  in  bono  semper ;  "  It  is  good  always  to 
be  fervent,  and  to  follow  in  good  things."  Then  it  is  not 
such  a  good  argument,  Such  a  man  doth  it,  therefore1  it  is 
a  good  thing.  No,  not  so ;  we  must  follow  so,  and  do  so 
all  things,  as  it  may  stand  with  our  vocation,  whereunto  God 

to  leave  our  hath  called  us :  for  when  we  leave  our  vocation  whereunto 

damnable.  God  hath  appointed  us,  no  doubt,  we  do  naught  and  damnably. 
As  for  an  ensample  :  our  Saviour  fasted  forty  days  and  forty 
nights  without  any  manner  of  sustenance ;  therefore1  we  shall 
do  so  too :  no,  because  we  are  not  able  to  do  so  too,  we . 
should  kill  Ourselves.  Likewise  Moses,  that  holy  prophet  of 
God,  killed  an  Egyptian,  which  was  a  wicked  and  naughty 
man-;  therefore1,  shall  go  I  and  kill  yonder  wicked  man  too : 
no,  I  may  not  do  so,  for  it  is  against  my  calling ;  I  am  no 
magistrate,  therefore  I  may  not  do  it.     As  for  Moses,  he  had 

Numb.  xv.  a  special  inspiration  of  God.  Phinees,  that  godly  man,  killed 
Zambri  and  Cozbe,  which  were  occupied  together  in  the  act 
of  fornication :  Phinees,  that  zealous  man,  came  and  killed 
them  both  at  once,  which  pleased  God  well9.  Now  ye  may 
make  such  an  argument :  Phinees  did  so,  and  pleased  God 
in  his  doings;  therefore1  we  may  do  so  too:  when  we  see 
any  man  dishonour  God,  we  may  go  and  kill  him  by  and  by. 
This  is  not  a  good  argument ;  for  as  I  said  before,  we  must 
take  heed  to  our  calling,  to  our  office.  This  Phinees  had  a 
special  license  to  do  so  ;  we  may  not  follow  his  ensample. 
Abraham  was  a  good  and  holy  man :  he  was  ready  to  kill 
his  son,  and  burn  him  with  fire ;  which  doings  pleased  God 
wondrous  well :  afterward'  there  were  many  which  would 
follow  the  ensample  of  Abraham,  and  burnt  their  children ; 
but  they  did  exceeding  ill,  and  God  was  angry  with  them 
for  so  doing :  therefore  we  must  follow  their  ensample  only 
so  far  forth  as  may  stand  with  our  vocation.  Further, 
Joseph  and  Mary  they  were  married  folk,  but  they  exer- 

t1  ergo,  1562.] 

[2  which  his  doing  pleased  God  very  well,  1562:  which  deed  of 
Phinees  was  pleasing  unto  God,  1607.] 


XXVIII. J    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.     517 

cised  not  the  act  of  generation :  if  we3  would  now  follow 
the  ensample  of  Mary  and  Joseph,  and  inhibit  unto  married 
folks  the  act  of  generation,  this  were  naught,  and  against 
the  order  of  God.  For  Mary  and  Joseph  had  a  special 
calling  and  gift  of  God  to  abstain  ;  but  if  we,  having  no 
such  calling,  or  such  gifts  as  they  have  had,  should  follow 
their  ensample,  we  should  go  to  the  devil  at  the  length  for 
not  doing  according  unto  our  calling.  So  it  appeareth  partly, 
that  we  are  not  bound  to  follow  the  conversations  or  doings 
of  the  saints.  Jacob,  David,  Salomon,  and  other  good  and 
holy  men,  have  had  many  wives ;  therefore4  we  may  have 
many  too  ?  Not  so ;  they  had  a  special  license  and  pre- 
rogative, which  Ave  have  not.  Therefore  take  this  for  a  sure 
rule  :  we  have  not  to  follow  the  saints  in  their  vocation,  but 
we  must  follow   God  in  our  vocation :  for  like  as  they  fol-  we  must 

J  follow  God 

lowed  God  in  their  vocation  and  calling,  so  we  must  follow  j?  °w  voca- 
tion as  the 

God  in  our  vocation.  But  when  we  will  go  about  to  follow  ^ieI]£lud  in 
God  in  their  calling,  and  forsake  our  own  calling,  then  no 
doubt  we  shall  do  naught.  Tins  I  have  said  to  that  end, 
that  ye  might  understand  the  words  of  St  Paul,  where  he 
saith,  "  Be  followers  of  me :"  therefore  I  shewed  you  how 
far  forth  we  ought  to  follow  the  ensample  of  the  saints. 

"  For  many  walk,  of  whom  I  have  told  you  often,  and 
now  tell  you  weeping,  that  they  are  the  enemies  of  the  cross 
of  Christ."  St  Paul  speaketh  of  the  false  prophets.  He 
saith,  "  They  walk."  By  this  word,  "  walk,"  is  signified  our 
conversation  and  living ;  for  when  we  will  signify  any  man 
to  live  wickedly,  we  may  express  it  with  these  words,  "  he 
walketh  wickedly."  Now  if  there  were  many  in  St  Paul's 
time  which  did  walk  wickedly,  think  ye  the  matter  is5  any 
thing  amended  now  at  our  time  ?  I  think,  nothing  at  all : 
for  we  read  in  the  twentieth  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse,  that  Rev.  xx. 
Satan  shall  be  loose  in  the  last  days ;  that  is  to  say,  God 
will  suffer  him  to  exercise  his  crafts,  his  blasphemous  wicked 
mind,  which  he  beareth  against  God.  And  truly,  when  a  man 
considereth  the  state  of  the  whole  world  in  every  country,  satan  is 
it  appeareth  no  less  but  that  the  devil  is  loose.  For  what 
rebellions,  what  cruelties,  what  covetousness,  what  hatred  and 
malice  is  amongst  men;  insomuch  that  a  man  would  think 

[3  ye,  1571,  1572.]  [■*  ergo,  1562.] 

[5  is  the  matter,  1562.] 


518  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

the  whole  world  to  bo  full  of  devils!  Therefore  if1  there 
were  many  at  St  PauFs  time,  it  must  needs  follow  that  there 
be  more  now  :  for  now  is  the  defection  and  swerving  from 
the  truth. 

"  Of  which  I  have  told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you 
weeping."    St  Paul  was  a  good  man,  a  hearty  and  an  earnest 

st  raui  was  man  in  God's  cause  ;  he  was  a  weeper ;  he  went  a  pilgrimage, 
whereof  I  told  you  the  last  time.  It  was  a  grief  to  liim  to 
see  the  dishonour  of  God  amongst  them  which  he  had  in- 
structed in  the  word  of  God ;  he  was  sorry  to  see  the  people 
blinded  and  seduced  with  false  doctrine.  But  such  things 
grieve  not  us.  Though  God  be  dishonoured,  we  care  not 
for  it.  But  when  we  have  loss  of  our  goods,  and  sustain 
certain  damages,  then  we  can  weep  from  the  bottom  of  our 
hearts,  and  be  most  sorrowful :  but  when  we  hear  that  God 
is  dishonoured,  that  lechery  is  committed,  or  other  horrible 

we  weep  not  sins  done,  that  grieveth  us  not ;  then  we  weep  not.     And  so 

as  St  Paul       .  °  .  l 

aw.  it  appeareth  most  manifestly,  that  we  have  not  the  heart  of 

St  Paul;  we  are  not  so  minded. 

Now  peradventure  somebody  might  say,  that  St  Paul  had 
slandered  these  men  in  writing  so  sharply  against  them,  and 
in  calling  them  "  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ :"  but  it 

2  Tim.  11.  is  not  so ;  he  slandereth  them  not.  In  the  epistle  to  Timothy 
he  named  some  by  their  names,  Philetum  and  Hymenceum. 
You  must  consider,  that  St  Paul  did  well  in  reproving  them 
openly ;  for  a  man  may  sometimes  tell  another  man's  faults, 
for  not  every  telling  is  slandering.  When  a  man  telleth 
another  man's  faults  with  a  good  mind,  and  to  a  good  pur- 
pose, this  telling  is  well :  but  that  is  naught,  and  very  slan- 

derlii'  fsan"  Bering,  when  I  rehearse  before  other  men  the  faults  of  my 
neighbour  with  a  malicious  stomach.  I  hate  him,  and  there- 
fore I  make  him  to  be  known ;  I  paint  him  out  in  his  colours, 
and  sometimes  I  say  more  by  him  than  I  am  able  to  prove ; 
tins  is  slandering :  but  when  a  man  telleth  another  man's 
faults  with  a  good  mind,  to  his  reformation,  that  is  not  slan- 
dering. As  we  read  a  story  of  St  Bernard2 :  whether  it 
be  true  or  not,  it  is  no  matter ;  take  it  for  an  ensample,  and 
learn  thereby  what  is  slander,  and  what  is  not.      St  Bcrn- 

f1  when,  1562.] 

[2  De  Vita  S.  Bernardi,  Lib.  i.  c.  3.  Bernard.  Oper.  col.  1965. 
Ed.  Gillot.  Colon.  Agrip.  1620.] 


XXV1I1.1    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.     519 

ard  was  a  goodly  upright  young  man,  and  well  favoured :  Afebteof 
ho  came  at  a  time,  with  his  company,  to  an  inn,  where  he  andw* 
tarried  all  night.    And  because  he  was  a  fair  man,  the  woman 
in  the  house  cast  her  eyes  upon  him,  desiring  in  her  heart  to 
have  carnal  company  with  him ;  and  therefore,  after  supper, 
she  appointed  a  chamber  for  him  alone,  to  that  end  that  she 
might  come  unto  him  afterward.     And  so  she  did :  for  when 
every  body  was  at  rest,  she  came  unto  his  bed,  intending  to 
lie  with  him.      St  Bernard   perceiving   that,  cried   out  with 
a  loud  voice,  Fures,  Fures,  "  Thieves,  Thieves !"   His  fellows 
hearing  him  crying,  came  to  him,  asking  what  the  matter 
was.     He  told  them  that  there  was  a  thief  there.     Now  they 
thought  he  had  dreamed,  and  went  to  bed  again.     As  soon 
as  they  were  gone,  by  and  by  the  woman  came  again :  then 
he  cried  again.      So  in  the  morning  St  Bernard  would  not 
tarry  long  in  that  house.     And  as  they  were  in  the  way,^  he 
told  his  fellows  how  that  the  woman  had  come  unto  him ; 
desiring  them  to  take  heed  another  time  of  that  woman,  for 
she  was  a  naughty  woman :  she  would  have  stolen  from  him 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  remission  of  his  sins,  and  all  goodness : 
for  if  he  should  have  followed  her,  she  would  have  robbed 
liim  of  all  these  things.    Now3  of  such  a  fashion  we  may  tell 
other  men's  faults.     For  St  Bernard  told  it  to  that  end,  to 
givo  them  warning  to  take  heed  of  that  woman.     Now  this 
was  not  slandering.     And  so  likewise   St  Paul   here    slan- 
dereth  them  not,  but  sets  them  out  in  their  colours,  to  ad- 
monish us  to  beware  of  them  :  and  so  we  ought  to  do,  when 
we  know  a  man  that  is  wicked,  and  will  not  leave  his  wicked- 
ness after  due  admonitions.     No  doubt  it  is  a  good  thing  to 
give  unto  other  men  warning  of  such  a  man,  that  they  may 
take  heed  of  him.     As  for  an  ensample  :  there  be  a  company  ™-- bc 
of  thieves  sworn  together  to  be  true  one  to  the  other,  and  **• 
not  to  disclose  one  another.     Now  I  am  amongst  them,  and, 
after  some  mischief  done,  I  am  taken  and  condemned  by  the 
law  to  be  hanged.      Shall  I  not  disclose  now  my  company, 
and  give  unto  the  magistrates  warning  of  them?  Yes,  I  would 
think  that  man  that  is  in  such  a  case  doth  well  to  disclose 
his  company ;  for  it  pertaineth  to  a  good  end,  and  is  a  cha- 
ritable deed ;  else  his  company  may  do  much  harm  afore  they 
be  known.     No  doubt  that  man  should  do  well ;  and  I  think 
[3  Now,  omitted  in  1562.] 


enemies  to 
Christ. 


520  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERAI. 

a  good  wish,  he  ought  to  do  it.  And  I  would  God  that  all  thieves  in  Eng- 
land were  so  persuaded  in  their  hearts,  that  when  one  were 
taken,  that  he  should  disclose  his  fellows  too !  No  doubt  we 
should  have  better  rest ;  thieves  would  not  so  much  trouble 
the  commonwealth  as  they  do. 

"  Weeping."  It  grieved  St  Paul  very  sore,  that  christian 
souls  should  so  be  seduced  through  false  religion.  I  would 
wish  that  there  were  such  a  fervent  zeal  now  in  us,  as  was 
in  him  then !   But  it  is  not  so  ;   we  have  no  care  for  the  souls 

unpreaehing  of  christian  people.      And  that  appeareth  most  manifestly  by 

not  Paul's  those  unpreaehing  prelates;  for  if  they  had  such  an  earnest 
mind  to  the  flock  of  Christ,  as  St  Paul  had,  no  doubt  they 
would  not  be  so  lordly,  so  slothful  in  doing  of  their  duties  : 
but  they  lack  such  an  earnest  mind  as  St  Paul  had ;  such  an 
earnest  zeal  they  lack. 

"  They  are  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ."  A  man 
may  be  an  enemy  of  the  cross  of  Christ  two  manner  of  ways. 

papistein  All  the  papists  in  England,  and  specially  the  spiritual  men, 
re  be  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ  two  manner  of  ways. 
First,  when  he  is  a  right  papist,  given  to  monkery,  I 
warrant  you  he  is  in  this  opinion,  that  with  his  own  works 
he  doth  merit  remission  of  his  sins,  and  satisficth  the  law 
through  and  by  his  own  works ;  and  so  thinketh  himself  to 
be  saved  everlastingly.  This  is  the  opinion  of  all  papists. 
And  this  doctrine  was  taught  in  times  past  in  schools  and 
in  the  pulpits.  Now  all  these  that  be  in  such  an  opinion, 
they  be  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  of  his  passion 
and  blood-shedding.  For  they  think  in  themselves  Christ 
needed  not  to  die ;  and  so  they  despise  his  bitter  passion : 
they  do  not  consider  our  birth-sin,  and  the  corruption  of  our 
nature ;  nor  yet  do  they  know  the  quantity  of  our  actual 
sins,  how  many  times  we  fall  in  sins,  or  how  much  our  own 
power  is  diminished ;  nor  what  might  and  power  the  devil 
hath :  they  consider  not  such  things,  but  think  themselves 
able  with  their  own  works  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 
And  therefore  I  tell  you,  that  is  the  [most]  perilous  doctrine 
that  can  be  devised.  For  all  faithful  and  true  Christians 
believe  only  in  his  death ;  they  long  to  be  saved  through  his 
passion  and  blood-shedding,  this  is  all  their  comfort.  They 
know,  and  most  stedfastly  believe,  that  Christ  fulfilled  the 
law,  and  that  Ins  fulfilling  is  theirs ;  so  that  they  attribute 


XXVIII.]  EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.     521 

unto  Christ  the  getting  and  meriting  of  everlasting  life.  And 
so  it  followeth,  that  they  which  attribute  the  remission  of 
sins,  the  getting  of  everlasting  life,  unto  themselves  or  their 
works,  they  deny  Christ ;  they  blaspheme  and  despise  him. 
For  for  what  other  cause  did  Christ  come,  but  only  to  take 
away  our  sins  by  his  passion,  and  so  deliver  us  from  the 
power  of  the  devil  ?  But  these  merit-mongers  have  so  many  Merit- 
good  works,  that  they  be  able  to  sell  them  for  money,  and  m° 
so  to  bring  other  men  to  heaven  too  by  their  good  works : 
which,  no  doubt,  is  the  greatest  contempt  of  the  passion  of 
Christ  that  can  be  devised.  For  Christ  only,  and  no  man 
else,  merited  remission,  justification,  and  eternal  felicity  for 
as  many  as  will  believe  the  same :  they  that  will  not  believe 
it,  shall  not  have  it ;  for  it  is  no  more  but,  "  Believe  and 
have."  For  Christ  shed  as  much  blood  for  Judas,  as  he  did 
for  Peter :  Peter  believed  it,  and  therefore  he  was  saved ; 
Judas  would  not  believe,  and  therefore  he  was  condemned ;  .1  tubs  lacked 

,„,,.  •!•  i  ill  t>  faith,  and 

the  fault  being  in  him  only,  in  nobody  else.  But  to  say,  or  therefore 
to  believe,  that  we  should  be  saved  by  the  law,  this  is  a be  saved- 
great  dishonouring  of  Christ's  passion :  for  the  law  serveth 
to  another  purpose, — it  bringeth  us  to  the  knowledge  of  our 
sins,  and  so  to  Christ :  for  when  we  be  come  through  the 
law  to  the  knowledge  of  our  sins,  when  we  perceive  our 
filthiness,  then  we  be  ready  to  come  to  Christ,  and  fetch 
remission  of  our  sins  at  his  hands.  But  the  papists  fetch 
the  remission  of  their  sins,  not  in  the  passion  of  Christ,  but 
in  them  own  doings :  they  think  to  come  to  heaven  by  their 
own  works ;    which  is  naught.      We  must  do    good  works,  we  must 

,  -r.  j-  i  work,  but 

we  must  endeavour  ourselves  to  live  according  to  the  com-  n<>t  trust  in 

our  works. 

mandments  of  God ;  yet,  for  all  that,  we  must  not  trust  in 
our  doings.  For  though  we  do  the  uttermost,  yet  is  it  all 
imperfect,  when  ye  examine  them  by  the  rigour  of  the  law  ; 
which  law  serveth  to  bring  us  to  the  knowledge  of  our  sins, 
and  so  to  Christ ;  and  by  Christ  we  shall  come  to  the  quiet- 
ness of  our  conscience.  But  to  trust  in  our  good  works  is 
nothing  but  a  robbing  of  Christ  of  his  glory  and  majesty. 
Therefore  it  is  not  more  necessary  to  do  good  works,  than 
it  is  to  beware  how  to  esteem  them.  Therefore  take  heed, 
good  christian  people  :  deny  not  Christ ;  put  not  your  hope 
in  your  own  doings  ;  for  if  you  do,  ye  shall  repent. 

Another  denying  of  Christ  is  this  mass-monging.      For 


A  man 
will  spare 
no  cost  to 
save  his  soul 


522  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

Mass-mon-    all  those  that  be  mass-mongers  be  deniers  of  Christ ;  which 

gers  deny  °> 

Christ.  believe  or  trust  in  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  and  seek  re- 
mission of  their  sins  therein.  For  tins  opinion  hath  done 
very  much  harm,  and  brought  innumerable  souls  to  the  pit 
of  hell ;  for  they  believed  the  mass  to  be  a  sacrifice  for  the 
dead  and  living.  And  this  opinion  hath  gotten  all  these 
abbeys  and  chantries  almost  the  half  part  of  all  England ; 
and  they  should  have  gotten  more,  if  they  had  not  been 
restrained  by  certain  laws1.  For  what  would  folks  not  do 
to  ease  themselves  from  the  burthen  of  their  sins?  But  it 
was  a  false  easement,  a  deceitful  thing :  therefore  how  much 
are  we  bound  unto  God,  which  hath  delivered  us  from  this 
bondage,  from  this  heavy  yoke  of  popery,  which  would  have 
thrust  us  to  everlasting  damnation !  For  now  we  know  the 
very  way  how  we  shall  be  delivered;  we  know  that  Christ, 
is  offered  once  for  us,  and  that  this  one  offering  remedieth 
all  the  sins  of  the  whole  world :  for  he  was  Agnus  occisus 

Rev.xiii.  ab  origine  mundi ;  he  was  "The  lamb  which  was  killed  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world :"  that  is  to  say,  all  they  that 
believed  in  him  since  Adam  was  created,  they  were  saved  by 
him.  They  that  believed  in  Abraham's  Seed,  it  was  as  good 
unto  them,  and  stood  them  in  as  good  effect,  as  it  doth  unto 
us  now  at  this  day :  so  that  his  oblation  is  of  such  efficacy, 
that  it  purifieth  and  taketh  away  all  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world.  They  now  that  will  be  content  to  leave  their  sinful 
life,  wrestle  with  sin,  and  behove  in  our  Saviour  Christ,  they 
shall  be   partakers  of  everlasting   felicity.      Here   ye   may 

Christ  hath    perceive  that  Christ  hath  many  enemies  in  the  whole  world ; 

'1"iRsyt,R"  he  hath  many  that  slander  him,  that  diminish  his  glory; 
namely,  all  the  papists  that  trust  in  their  own  merits,  or 
seek  remission  of  their  sins  by  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass :  all 
these  now  are  enemies  to  the  cross  of  Christ.  Finally2,  all 
those  that  seek  remission  of  their  sins  other  ways  than  in 
the  passion  of  Christ,  they  be  traitors  to  God,  and  shall  be 
damned  world  without  end,  unless  they  repent. 

But  here  I  must  say  some  things  unto  you,  and  I  speak 
it  to  the  satisfying  of  some  of  you;  for  I  think  there  be 
many  which  will  reason  very  sore.  They  think  it  to  be  no 
matter,  though  the  curate  be  erroneous  and  naught  in  his 
[x  Called  Statutes  of  Mortmain.  7  Edw.  I.  15  Rich.  II.  c.  5.  Sec, 
also,  23  Hen.  VIII.  c.  10.]  [2  In  summa,  1562.] 


ami  leader  of 

lllli 

hall 


XXVIII.]   EPISTLE   FOR  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY   AFTER  TRINITY.    523 

doctrine :  they  care  not  for  that ;  for  they  will  say,  "  I  will 

hear  him,  and  do  according  as  he  cornmandcth  unto  me  to 

do;  if3  he  teacheth  false  doctrine,  and  leadeth  me  the  wrong 

way,  he  shall  make  answer  for  me  before  God:    his   false 

doctrine  shall  do  me  no  harm,  though  I  follow  the  same." 

This    is    a    naughty    reason,    and    contrary    to    Christ    our 

Saviour's  doctrine:  for  so  he  saith:  "If  the  blind  lead  the  The  bim 

blind,  they  shall  fall  both  into   the  pit."     Mark  here,  ne^bimd 

saith  not,  the  leader  shall  fall  into  the  pit,  but  they  shall  fall  perish. 

both;   the  leader  and  he  that  is  led,  the  blind  curate  and 

Ins  blind  parishioners.    And  so  it  was  at  St  Paul's  time ;  not 

only  the  leaders,  the  false  teachers,  went  to  the  devil,  but 

also  they  that  followed  their  false  doctrine.     And  therefore 

St  Paul  is  so  earnest  in  admonishing  them  to  beware  and 

take  heed  to  themselves ;  yea,  with  weeping  eyes  he  desireth 

them  to  refuse  the  false  prophets.      So  likewise  God  himself 

giveth  us   warning    in    the    third    chapter   of   the    prophet 

Ezechiel,  saying  :  "  If  I  say  unto  thee  concerning  the  ungodly  Ezek.  m. 

man,  that  without  doubt  he  must  die,  and  thou  givest  not 

him  warning,  nor  speakest  unto  him,  that  he  may  turn  from 

his  evil  way,  and  so  to  live ;  then  shall  the  same  ungodly 

man  die  in  his  own  unrighteousness;    but  his  blood  will  I 

require  of  thy  hands."     Again,  in  the  thirty-third  chapter 

he  saith :  "  When  I  send  a  sword  upon  a  land,  if  the  people  E*ek. 

of  the  land  take  a  man  of  their  country,  and  set  lum  to  be  xx' 

their  watchman;  the  same  man,  when  he  seeth  the  sword 

come  upon  the  land,  shall  blow  the  trumpet,  and  warn  the 

people.     If  a  man  now  hear  the  noise  of  the  trumpet,  and 

will  not  be  warned,  and  the  sword  come  and  take  him  away, 

his  blood  shall  be  upon  his  own  head:    for  he   heard  the 

sound  of  the  trumpet,  and  would  not  take  heed ;  therefore 

his  blood  be  upon  him :  but  if  he  will  receive  warning,  he  p^yhethat 

shall  save  his  life.     Again,  if  the  watchman  seeth  the  sword  £™^safL. 

come,  and  shew  it  not  with  the  trumpet,  so  that  the  people 

is  not  warned ;   if  the  sword  come  then,  and  take  any  man 

from  amongst  them,  the  same  shall  be  taken  away  in  his 

own  sin;    but   his   blood   will  I  require  of  the  watchman's 

hands."       In  these   places  of   scripture   it    appeareth   most 

manifestly,   that  not   only  the  naughty  curate  shall   go   to 

the  devil,  but  also  all  those  that  follow  his  naughty  doctrine. 

[3  when,  1562.] 


524  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

The  wicked  shall  die  in  his  wickedness :  for  though  God  do 
require  the  blood  of  the  parishioners  at  the  curate's  hands, 
yet  for  all  that  they  shall  be  damned  in  the  mean  season, 
dangerous      But  ^  Pray  Joxx  ^e  n°t  offended  with  me,  when  I  tell  you 
(Micurate.    one  thing  many  times ;  for  I  do  it  to  that  end,  that  ye  might 
perceive  what  danger  it  is  to  have  an  ill  curate  :  this  maketh 
me  to  put  you  many  times  in  remembrance  of  it. 
a  history  of  I  will  tell  you  now  a  pretty  story  of  a  friar,  to  refresh 

tour.  you  withal.      A  hmitour    of  the  gray  Friars,  in  the  time  of 

his  limitation,  preached  many  times,  and  had  but  one  sermon 
at  all  times ;  which  sermon  was  of  the  ten  Commandments. 
And  because  the  friar  had  preached  this  sermon  so  often, 
one  that  heard  it  before,  told  the  friar's  servant  that  his 
master  was  called  "Friar  John  ten  Commandments."  Where- 
fore the  servant  shewed  the  friar  his  master  thereof,  and. 
advised  him  to  preach  of  some  other  matters  ;  for  it  grieved 
the  servant  to  hear  his  master  derided.  Now  the  friar  made 
answer,  saying,  "Belike  then  thou  kennest  the  ten  Command- 
ments well,  seeing  thou  hast  heard  them  so  many  a  time." 
"  Yes,"  said  the  servant,  "  I  warrant  you."  "  Let  me  hear 
them,"  saith  the  master.  Then  he  began,  "  Pride,  Covetous- 
ness,  Lechery,"  and  so  numbered  the  deadly  sins  for  the  ten 
w"Trv  before  Commandments.  And  so  there  bo  many  at  this  time,  winch 
learned^  be  weary  of  the  old  gospel,  they  would  fain  hear  some  new 
things  ;  they  think  themselves  so  perfect  in  the  old,  when 
they  be  no  more  skilful  than  this  servant  was  in  his  ten  Com- 
mandments. Therefore,  I  say,  be  not  offended  with  me, 
when  I  tell  you  one  thing  two  or  three  times.  And  specially 
mark  this  well,  that  the  parishioners  are  not  excused  before 
God  by  the  wickedness  and  blindness  of  the  priest.  For  God 
saith  not,  "  I  will  require  the  blood  of  the  people  at  the 
curate's  hand,  and  the  people  shall  be  without  blame :"  no, 
not  so ;  but,  "  the  wicked  shall  perish  because  of  his  wicked- 
ness : "  so  that  the  blind  people  and  the  blind  curate  shall  go 
^"England.  to  nell  together.  I  would  wish  that  all  England  were  per- 
suaded in  this2;  for  the  most  part  of  the  people  think  them- 
selves to  be  excused  by  their  curates.  But  it  is  not  so  ;  for 
if  there  be  any  man  wicked  because  his  curate  teacheth  him 

[!  A  friar  who  had  a  license  to  beg  only  within  a  given  district, 
or  whose  duty  Avas  limited  to  a  particular  district  for  a  certain  period.] 
[2  persuaded  so,  1562.] 


XXVIII.]  EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY     525 

not,  his  blood  shall  bo  required  at  the  curate's  hands :  vet 
for  all  that  the  parishioner  shall  go  to  the  devil  withal ;  that 
shall  be  his  end.  Therefore  beware  of  that  opinion  ;  think 
not  to  be  excused  by  your  curate  :  for  if3  ye  do,  ye  do  not 
well,  and  so  you  shall  repent  in  the  end.  St  Paul  therefore 
is  so  diligent  to  give  us  warning  of  the  false  prophets,  lest  we 
should  be  deceived  by  them.  In  another  place  St  Paul  com-  Faked 
pareth  their  doctrine  unto  a  sickness,  which  is  called  a  canker;  £»**>■ 
which  sickness,  when  she  once  beginneth  at  a  place  of  the 
body,  except  it  be  withstood,  will  run  over  the  whole  body, 
and  so  at  length  kill :  so  it  is  with  this  false  doctrine. 

Now  I  must  answer  unto  you  to  an  objection,  or  doubt,  ^ection 
that  peradventure  some  of  you  may  have.     You  will  think 
when  ye  hear  what  is  the  nature  of  false  doctrine,  ye  will 
think,   I  say,   "  Alas !  what  is  done  with  our  grandfathers  ? 
No  doubt  they  are  lost  everlastingly,  if  this  doctrine  be  true ; 
for,   after   your   saying,   they   have  had   the  false  doctrine; 
therefore  they  be  damned :  for  the  nature  of  false  doctrine  is 
to  condemn."      Such  doubts  some  will  make,   yea,  and  there 
be   some  winch  in  no  wise  will  receive  the  gospel,  and  that 
only  for  this  opinion's  sake ;  for  they  think  that  when  they 
should  receive  the  gospel,  it  were  even  as  much  as  to  think 
their  forefathers  be  damned.    Now  to  this  objection,  or  doubt-  a*™™[  * 
fulness,  I  will  make  you  answer.     It  is  with  the  false  doctrine  Un- 
like as  it  is  with  fire ;  the  nature  of  fire  is  to  burn  and  con- 
sume all  that  which  is  laid  in  the  fire  that  may  be  burned. 
So  the  nature  of  false  doctrine  is  to  condemn,  to  bring  to 
everlasting  damnation ;  that  is  the  nature  of  false4   doctrine. 
But  yet  for  all  that,  though  the  nature  of  the  fire  be  to  burn  Ttaftreiaurn 
and  consume  all  things,  yet  there  hath  been  many  things  in  that]*  cast 
the  fire  which  have  not  been  burned  nor  consumed :  as  the 
bush  which  appeared  unto  Moses,  he  burned  in  the  fire,  and 
yet  was  not  consumed.      What  was  the  cause  ?    The  power 
of  God5.     We  read,  also,  in  the  third  chapter  of  Daniel,  how  Dan. at 
that  Nabuchadonosor,  the  king,  caused  a  golden  image  to  be 
made,  and  so  called  all  his  lords  and  his  people  to  come  and 
worship  his  idol,  which  he  had  set  up  ;   threatening  further, 
"  that  whosoever  would  not  fall  down  and  worship  the  said 
idol,  should  be  cast  in  a  hot  oven."      Now  there  were  three 
young  men,  Sidrach,  Mishach,  and  Abednago,  which  refused 
[3  when,  1562.]     [4  the  false,  15G2.]    [«  Many,  God's  power,  1502.] 


526  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

to  worship  the  said  idol,  saying,  "  0  Nabuchadonosor,   wo 

ought  not  to  consent  unto   thee  in   this  matter;  for  why  ? 

a  fruitful     Our  God  whom  we  serve  is  able  to  keep  us  from  the  hot 

'note  how  '    burning  oven,  and  can  right  well  deliver  us  out  of  thy  hands; 

faith  defend-  ,,,,.«  ,     ,       ,  ,  ,  •■,-, 

etna chris-    and  though  he  will  not,  yet  shalt  thou  know  that  we  will  not 

tian  man.  o  «/ 

serve  thy  gods,  nor  do  any  reverence  to  that  image  which 
thou  hast  set  up.  Then  was  Nabuchadonosor  exceeding  full 
of  indignation  against  them,  and  commanded  by  and  by  that 
the  oven  should  be  made  seven  times  hotter  than  it  was  wont 
to  be,  and  spake  unto  the  strongest  men  that  were  in  his 
host,  to  bind  Sidrach,  Misach,  and  Abednago,  and  cast  them 
in  the  burning  oven.  So  these  men  were  bound  in  their 
coats,  hosen,  shoes,  with  their  other  garments,  and  cast  into 
an  hot  burning  oven :  for  the  king's  commandment  was  so 
strait,  and  the  oven  was  exceeding  hot,  and  these  three  men. 
Sidrach,  Misach,  and  Abednago  fell  down  in  the  hot  burning 
oven,  being  fast  bound.  Then  Nabuchadonosor  the  king 
marvelled,  and  stood  up  in  all  haste,  and  spake  unto  his 
council,  saying,  Did  ye  not  cast  these  three  men  into  the 
God  suffered  fire?    They  answered,  saving,  Yea,   0  king.    He  answered 

not  the  fire  i»it«»-ii-iti  n  •  i 

to  do  his  na-  and  said,  Lo,  lor  all  that,  1  do  see  lour    men  going  loose  in 

hire.  ,  .  »         © 

the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  nothing  corrupt ;  and  the  fourth  is 
like  the  Son  of  God  to  look  upon!"  Here,  in  this  story,  you 
see,  that  though  the  nature  of  the  fire  is  to  consume,  yet 
these  three  men  were  not  consumed  with  the  same ;  for  not  a 
hair  of  their  heads  perished,  but  rather  the  fire  brake  out 
and  consumed  them  that  put  them  in  the  oven :  for  though x 
the  fire  of  his  nature  would  have  consumed  them,  yet  through 
the  power  of  God  the  strength  of  the  fire  was  vanquished, 
and  the  men  were  preserved  from  it.  Even  so  is  it  with  the 
popery,  and2  false  doctrine ;  the  nature  of  it  is  to  consume, 
to  corrupt  and  bring  to  everlasting  sorrow:  yet  let  us  hope 
God  hath      that  our  forefathers  were  not  damned,  for  God  hath  many 

nianv  ways  .       .  . 

to  sale.  ways  to  preserve  them  from  perishing  ;  yea,  in  the  last  hour 
of  death  God  can  work  with  his  Holy  Ghost,  and  teach  them 
to  know  Christ  his  Son  for  their  Saviour :  though  they  were 
taught  other  ways  before,  yet  God  can  preserve  them  from 
the  poison  of  the  false  doctrine. 

i  Kings  xviu.  I  w\\\  shew  you  a  notable  story  done  in  king  Achab's 
time,  written  in  the  third  book  of  the  Kings,  the  eighteenth 
['  so  the  fire,  1562.]  p  with  the,  1562.] 


XXVIII.]    EPISTLE   FOR  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.     527 

chapter.  At  the  time  when  Achab,  that  wicked  king,  and  his 
wife  Jezebel,  more  wickeder  than  her  husband,  when  they 
had  the  rule,  they  abolished  the  word  of  God  clean,  and  set 
up  false  doctrine  ;  killed  the  true  prophets  of  God ;  insomuch 
that  Elias  saith  unto  God,  with  crying  and  great  lamentations, 
saying,  "  Lord,  the  children  of  Israel  have  forsaken  thy  cove- 
nant, broken  down  thine  altars,  and  slain  thy  prophets  with 
the  sword  ;  and  I  only  am  left,  and  they  seek  my  life  to  take 
it  away."  Here  it  appcareth  that  the  pulpits  at  that  time 
were  occupied  with  false  teachers,  with  false  religion,  like  as 
it  was  in  the  time  of  our  forefathers;  insomuch  that  Elias 
crieth  out  and  saith  plainly,  that  there  were  left  no  more 
but  he  oniv.     But  what  saith  God  ?    "  I  have  left  me  seven  Godha.i 

J  .  „      .  „  his  number 

thousand    which    have   not  bowed  their  knees  unto  Baal,    in  Elias- time 
When  Elias  thought  that  there  was  left  no  more  but  he  only, 
then  God  shewed  him  a  great  many  which  were  left,  and  not 
infected  with  the  poison  of  the  false  doctrine.     Therefore  like 
as  God  could  preserve  a  great  number  of  the  Israelites  at  the 
same  time,   so  he  could  preserve  our  forefathers  from  the 
poison  of  popery,  which  was  taught  at  that  time ;  for  "  the 
Lord  knoweth  which  are  his."     Also3,  Christ  himself  saith  : 
Quos  mild  dedit  Pater,  "  No  man  shall  take  these  from  me  John  x. 
which  my  Father  hath  given  to  me,"  that  is  to  say,  which 
are   ordained    to    everlasting    life.     Non   repellet   Dominus  Psai.  x«v. 
plebem  suam,  et  hcereditatem  suam  non  relinquet;  "The  Lord 
will  not  cast  away  his  people,  and  his  inheritance  he  will  not 
forsake."     Therefore  let  us  hope  that  though  the   doctrine 
at  this  time  was  false  and  poisoned,  yet  for  all  that  God  hath 
had  his.     He  hath  had  seven  thousand,  that  is  to  say,  a 
great  number  amongst  them  which  took  no  harm  by  the  false 
doctrine;  for  he  wonderfully  preserved  them  like  as  he  did  £«!™X'- 
in  the  great  dearth4 :  when  all  things  were  so  dear,  when  the  £££££" 
rich  franklings  would  not  sell  their  corn  in  the  markets,  then, 
at  that  time,  the  poor  was  wonderfully  preserved  of  God ;  for 
after  man's  reason  they  could  not  live,  yet  God  preserved 
them,  insomuch  that  their  children  were  as  fat  and  as  well- 
liking,  as  if  they  had  been  gentlemen's  children.      So,  like  as 

[3  Item,  1562.] 

[4  Probably  "the  great  dearth"  which  happened  in  1550.  Strype 
Eccl.  Mem.  n.  i.  pp.  345—350.  Oxf.  Edit.  Pilkington,  Works,  p.  86. 
Park.  Soc.  Edit.] 


528  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

God  could  preserve  the  poor  with  his  children  in  that  great 
dearth,  so  he  could  preserve  our  forefathers  from  everlasting 
perdition :  though  they  lacked  the  food  of  their  souls,  yet  he 
could  feed  them  inwardly  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Another  But  now  ye  will  say,   Seeing   then  that  God  can  save 

men,  and  bring  them  to  everlasting  life,  without  the  outward 
hearing  of  the  word  of  God,  then  we  have  no  need  to  hear 
the  word  of  God ;   we  need  not  to  have  preachers  amongst 
us  :  for  like  as  he  hath  preserved  them,  so  he  will  preserve 
An  answer  to  us  too,  without  the  hearing  of  God's  word.      This  is  a  foolish 
reason  ;   I  will  answer  you  this.      I  will  make  you  this  argu- 
ment :   God  can,  and  is  able  to  preserve  things  from  fire,  so 
that  they  shall  not  burn  or  consume ;  and  therefore  I  will  go 
and  set  my  house  a-fire,  and  it  shall  be  preserved.      Or  this  : 
God  preserved  these  three  men  from  fire,  so  that  they  took 
no  harm :  ergo,  I  will  go  and  cast  myself  into  the  fire,  and  I 
shall  take  no  harm.     Is  this  now  a  good  reason  ?     No,  no  ; 
for  these  three  men  had  their  vocation  to  go  in  the  fire,  they 
were  cast  in  by  violence :  so  if  God  will  have  thee  to  go  into 
the  fire  by  violence,  for  his  word's  sake,  then  go  with  a  good 
will ;  and  no  doubt  either  he  will  preserve  thee  as  he  did 
them,  or  else  he  will  take  thee  out  of  this  miserable  life  to 
everlasting  felicity.      But  to  cast  myself  into  the  fire  without 
Matt.  iv.       any  calling,  I  may  not ;  for  it  is  written,  Non  te'ntabis  Do- 
minum  Deum  tuum,   "Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy 
Godhath      God."      So  likewise  in  our  time,  God  hath  sent  light  into  the 
'ifgnhVofhies     world ;  he  hath  opened  the  gates  of  heaven  unto  us  by  his 
maynof we  word ;  which  word  be  opened  unto  us  by  his  officers,  by  his 
pretXrs      preachers :  shall  we  now  despise  the  preachers  ?     Shall  we 
mearfwhert  refuse  to  hear  God's  word,  to  learn  the  way  to  heaven,   and 

by  we  come  .  ,  0    __  ,  . 

i".i«e >olfnhW"  re(luu*e  nnn  *°  save  us  wlthout  his  word  C  JN o,  no ;  tor  when  we 

same-  do  so,  we  tempt  God,  and  shall  be  damned  world  without  end. 

This  much  I  thought  good  to  say  against  the  suggestion 

of  the  devil,  when  he  putteth  thee  in  mind,  saying,  "Thy 

forefathers  are  damned;"    that  thou  mightest  learn  not   to 

despair  of  their  salvation,  and  yet  not  be  too  careful.     For 

they  have  their  part:  we  must  not  make  an  account  for  their 

our  earefui-  doings,  every  one  must  make  answer  for  himself ;  for  if1  they 

brn^'oT1    be  damned,  they  cannot  be  brought  again  with  our  sorrowful- 

heii?rso  "°  ness.     Let  us  rather  endeavour  ourselves  to  hear  God's  word 

[i  when,  1562.] 


XXVIII.]   EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.  529 

diligently,  and  learn  the  way  of  salvation ;  so  that  when  we  we  may  not 
shall  be  called,  we  may  be  sure  of  it.  meanf 

Now  these  false  preachers,  of  which  St  Paul  spcaketh 
here,  are  enemies  unto  the  cross  of  Christ.      What  shall  be 
their    end?      Even2   perdition,    destruction,    and   everlasting  The  end  of 
damnation.    "Whose  god  is  their  belly."    The  false  preachers  preachers, 
preach  only  pleasant  things,  and  so  get  great  rewards ;  and 
are  able  to  live  wealthily  in  this  world,  and  to  make  good 
cheer.     I  fear  me  there  be  many  of  these  belly-gods  in  the 
world,  which  preach  pleasant  things  to  get  riches,  to  go  gay,  preachers 
and  trick  up  themselves :  they  care  for  no  more ;  they  study  w 
and  do  what  they  can  to  buckle  the  gospel  and  the  world 
together,  to  set  God  and  the  devil  at  one  table.     They  be 
gospellers  no  longer   but  till  they  get  riches :  when    they 
have  that  that  they  seek  for,  they  care  for  no  more ;  then 
the  gospel  is  gone  quite  out  of  their  hearts,  and  their  glory 
is  to  their  shame.      It  is  a  short  glory  and  a  long  shame 
that  they  shall   have :    for  in  the   other  world,   Erunt   ad 
satietatem  visionis  omni  carni;  "All  the  world  shall  laugh  piiii.  m. 
upon  them  to  their  shame  which  are  worldly-minded."      Is 
there  not  more  that  be  worldly-minded  than  that  be  godly- 
minded  ?     I  think  St  Paul  spake  these  words  by  the  clergy-  a  note  for 
men,  that  will  take  upon  them  the  spiritual  office  of  preach- 
ing, and  yet  meddle  in  worldly  matters  too,  contrary  to  their 
calling.      The  clergy  of  our  time  hath  procured  unto  them- 
selves a  liberty  to  purchase  lands3.      Think  ye  not  that  such 
doings  savoured  somewhat  of  worldly  things  ?     But  I  will 
desire  them  to  take  heed :  for  St  Paul  saith  here,  that  all 
they  that  be  worldly-minded    are    enemies  of   the  cross  of 
Christ ;  for  they  make  their  bellies  to  be  their  gods.     There-  The  reward 
fore  they  shall   receive  their   punishment  for    their  wicked  preachers. 
doings.     What  shall  that  be  ?     Verily  \  everlasting  pain  of 

p  Marry,  1562.] 

[3  The  preacher  may  have  had  in  view  the  5  and  6  Edw.  VI.  c.  12, 
which  legitimatized  the  children  of  married  priests,  and  made  them 
capable  of  inheriting  the  lands  of  their  ancestors.  The  same  Act 
also  enabled  ecclesiastical  persons  to  hold  such  lands,  &c.  after  the 
death  of  their  wives,  as  their  wives  when  living  might  have  been 
seized  of.] 

[4  Marry,  1562.] 

r  i  34 

[LATIMER.] 


530  SERMONS     PREACHED     IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sEIlM. 

hellish  fire  world  without  end,  without  any  deliverance  from 
the  same ;   this  is  their  reward. 

But  what  shall  become  of  St  Paul  and  all  true  preachers? 
He  saith,  "But  our  conversation  is  in  heaven."    What!    Was 


The  reward 
of  true 
preachers. 


St  Paul  in  heaven  when  he  spake  these  words?     No;  he  was 


here  on  earth.      But  when  we  walk  the  pilgrimage  of  which 
what  it  is  to  I  told  you  the  last  day,  God's  pilgrimage,  then  our  conversa- 
wiVu!ionCin"~  tion  is  in  heaven ;   that  is,  conformable  unto  God's  heavenly 
will.      And  God  seeth  them,  and  will  reward  them,  when  we 
will  do  the  works  of  our  vocation,  and  wrestle  with  sin  and 
wickedness,  and  live  after  God's  will  and  pleasure :  whoso- 
ever doth  so,  that  man  or  woman  hath  his  conversation  in 
heaven.    "  From  whence  we  long  for  the  Saviour,  even  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ."      St  Paul  looked  for  him  to  come  from 
heaven.     What,  is  he  not  here  already  ?     Christ  is  here  with 
us  already  to  our  comfort,  by  his  Spirit  and  power,  to  be  our 
helper,  and  to  work  with  his  sacraments ;   to  defend  us  from 
Christ  is  not  danger  and  peril ;   so  he  is  with  us  in  earth ;   but  he  is  not 

here  bodily.     .  ..      .„  .  ,  _      .          1 

here  bodily :  lor  he  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sitteth  at  the 

right  hand  of  God  the  Almighty  ;  from  thence  shall  he  come 

to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.      All  good  men  and  women 

long  for  him  :   and  no  doubt  he  will  come,  and  very  shortly, 

and  will  take  account  of  every  one  of  us  :  therefore,  as  all  the 

writers  monish  us,  let  us  never  forget  this  day  which  we  call 

the  doom's-day.      St  Jerome  saith1,  that  he  ever  thought  he 

heard  the  trumpet.     Now  they  that   have   in  consideration 

this  day,  and  make  themselves  ready,  it  is  a  joyful  thing  unto 

Tnedavof    them;    but    such    as    are2    customable    sinners,    as  common 

betenibieto  swearers,  or  adulterers,  or  idolaters,  and  do  credit  popery, 

sinners.        unto  them  tliis  day  shall  be  a  fearful  day,  it  shall  be  a  heavy 

coming  unto  them.      St  Paul  telleth  what  good  cheer  they 

[l  The  sentiment  here  ascribed  to  St  Jerome  occurs  very  fre- 
quently in  the  sermons  of  the  14th  and  15th  centuries,  but  is 
not  found  in  this  form  in  Jerome's  works.  The  following  is  in  a 
work  which  is  attributed  to  him :  Semper  tuba  ilia  terribilis  vestris 
perstrepet  auribus,  Surgite  mortui,  venite  ad  judicium.  Regula  Mo- 
nacharum,  cap.  xxx. — See  Archbishop  Sandys'  Sermons,  p.  368,  Park. 
Soc.  ed.] 

[2  they  that  be  customable  sinners,  will  not  leave  then-  wickedness, 
such  as  be  common  swearers,  1562.] 


XXVIII.]    EPISTLE   FOR  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY   AFTER  TRINITY.    •".'>! 

shall  have ;  namely,  everlasting  damnation :  being  the  ene- 
mies of  Christ,  their  glory  shall  turn  to  their  eternal  shame. 
So  you  see  that  all  the  world  may  be  divided  in  two  parts  ; 
namely,  into  the  faithful  and  unfaithful. 

Now  St  Paul  saith,  that    he  looketh  for  this    Saviour, 
"  which  shall  change  our  vile  bodies  according  to  the  work- 
ing, whereby  he  is  able  also  to  subdue  all  things  unto  him- 
self."    We  have  a  frail  body,  mortal,  subject  to  all  infirmities 
and  miseries ;  it  is  a  gross  body ;  but  for  all  that  it  shall  rise  ourgross 
again,  and  shall  be  changed.      It  is  mortal  now,  it  shall  be  changed? 
immortal  then ;  it  is  passible  now,  it  shall  bo  impassible  then ; 
it  is  gross  now,  it  shall  be  turned  into  agility  then ;  it  is  cor- 
rupt now,  it  shall  be  incorrupt  then ;  it  is  ignominious  now, 
it  shall  be  glorious  then,  like  unto  his  body.    Now  if3  it  shall 
be  so  with  our  bodies,  ye  may  be  sure  it  shall  be  so  with  our 
souls  too ;  for  that  felicity  that  we  shall  have,  that  God  hath  The  joys  of 
laid  up  for  us,  passeth  all  men's  thoughts.      What  joy  they  an  men -s '" 
shall  have  that  be  content  to  leave  their  sins,  and  live  godly ! 
And  these  things  Christ  our  Saviour  shall  bring  to  pass  by  his 
infinite  power. 

Now  to  make  an  end.    For  God's  sake  mark  these  lessons 
well :  for  this  is  a  very  good  piece  of  scripture,  wherein  Paul 
sheweth  both  ways.      I  think  it  were  better  for  us  to  live  so 
that  we  may  attain  to  this  felicity,  which  is  prepared  for  us 
in  heaven,  rather  than  to  follow  our  carnal  desires  and  lusts. 
For  if3  we  leave  our  wicked  life,  and  credit  the  word  of  God, 
and  have  a  delight  in  it,  no  doubt  it  shall  bring  us  in  the  end 
to  this  salvation,  of  which  St  Paul  speaketh  here.      But  how 
shall  it  go  with  the  other,  which  will  not  hear  God's  word, 
nor    leave    their   wickedness?      Truly4,    Vermis  eorum   non 
morietur ;  "  Their  worm  shall  not  die."      By  these  words  of  .Mark  i*. 
Christ  is  expressed  the  great  pain  and  sorrow  that  the  wicked 
shall  have :  therefore,  saith  the  scripture,  Mors  peccatorum 
pessimal ;    "  Death   to5  sinners  is   the  worst  thing  that  can  Psai.  xxxiv. 
happen  unto  them.'"      "What  meancth  he  by  that  ?      He  sig-  The  wicked 
nifieth   unto   us,   that   the   wicked   be    not   enough  punished  j™ isned 
here;    it  shall  be  worse  with  them    after  their  death.      So  and  in  the 

world  to 

that  it  shall  be  a  change.     They  that  have  pleasure  here, c0,,lc- 
and  live  according  to  their  desires,  they  shall  come  to  afflic- 

[3  when,  1562.]  [»  Marry,  1562.] 

[5  the  death  of,  1562.] 

34 o 


532  SERMONS    PRRACTIED     IN     LINCOLNSHIRE,  [sERM. 

tions  in  the  other  world :  again,  they  that  have  afflictions 
here,  shall  in  the  other  world  have1  the  perpetual  sabbath, 
where  there  is  no  manner  of  miseries,  but  a  perpetual  laud- 
ing and  praising  of  God :  to  whom,  with  the  Son  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  be  all  honour  and  glory,  now  and  ever,  world 
without  end !      Amen. 

[J  shall  come  yonder  to,  1562.] 


-I 


THE   FIFTH    SERMON  OF  MASTER   LATIMER'S. 


MATTHEW  IX.     LUKE  VIII.     MARK  V. 

While  he  spake  unto  them  this,  behold  there  came  a  certain  ruler,  and  TMspospel 
worshipped  him,  saying,  My  daughter  is  even  now  deceased,  but  tf^church 
come  and  lay  thy  hand  upon  her,  and  she  shall  live.     And  Jesus  ^h' 'nt  ■ 
arose  and  followed  him,  and  so  did  his  disciples.     And  behold,  a  I^Uy  afU'r 
woman  which  was  diseased  with  an  issue  of  blood  twelve  years, 
came  behind  him,  &c. 

This  is  a  notable  story,  and  much  comfort  we  shall  find 
in  it,  if  wo  will  consider  and  weigh  it  with  all  the  circum- 
stances.    The  Evangelist  Mark  saith,  the  ruler's  name  was 
Jairus :  he  was  an  officer :  some  think  that  he  was  a  reader 
of  scripture,  as  there  were  at  that  time;  or  perchance  he  was 
such  an  officer  as  we  call  churchwardens ;   which  is  a  great 
office   in   the   great    cities ;    churchwardens  can  bring  much  church- 
matter  to  pass :  such  a  great  officer  he  was.     For  though  the  JSyd^mudi 
Jews  had  a  law,  that  they  should  make  no  sacrifices  nowhere  godiyy 
but  at  Jerusalem,  where  the  temple  was,  and  all  the  ceremo- 
nies ;   yet  for  all  that  they  had  in  every  town  their  churches 
or  synagogues,  like  as  we  have  churches  here  in  England ; 
commonly  every  town  hath  a  church.   And  this  word  "church," 
sometimes  it  signifieth  the  congregation,  the  people  that  is 
gathered  together ;   sometimes  it  signifieth  the  place  whero 
the   people  come  together:  continens  pro  contento ;  that  is  The  thing 
to  say,    "  The  thing  that  containeth  for  that  which  is  con-  tainethfor 

«  °  that  which  is 

tamed."  contained. 

Now  our  Saviour  coming  to  Capernaum,  where  that 
great  man  dwelt,  which  was  such  a  town  as  Bristow  or 
Coventry  is,  Jairus  cometh  unto  him  in  all  haste,  and  fallcth 
down  before  him,  et  precabatur  multum,  "  and  maketh 
o-reat  suit  unto  him,  that  he  would  come  to  his  house  and 
heal  his  daughter,  which  was  sick."  No  doubt  he  had  heard 
what  manner  a  man  our  Saviour  was,  and  wherefore  he  was 
come  into  this  world ;  namely,  to  save  sinners  both  in  souls 
and  bodies:  and  ho  had  heard  also  the  general  proclamation, 
written  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Matthew,  where  our  Saviour 


to  witches. 


greater 
faith 
Jiirus. 


534  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

Muth.  si.     saith,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  laden,  and 
jairushai      I  will  ease  you."      This  proclamation  this  Jairus  had  heard, 

lieird  Christ's  J  l  ' 

tionKima"  an(*  believed  it ;  and  therefore  he  cometh  to  Christ.  He  did 
not  as  a  great  many  of  us  do,  which  when  we  be  in  trouble, 
or  sickness,  or  lose  any  thing,  we  run  hither  and  thither  to 
witches1,  or  sorcerers,  whom  we  call  wise  men;  when  there 
is  no  man  so  foolish  and  blind  as  they  be :  for  the  devil  leadeth 
them  according  unto  his  will  and  pleasure,  and  yet  we  run 

Jaims  after  them,  seeking  aid  and  comfort  at  their  hands.     But  this 

runneth  not  ° 

good  man  did  not  so ;  he  knew  that  God  had  forbidden  to 
run  to  witches1.  But  what  doth  he?  Forsooth9,  he  cometh 
to  Christ  our  Saviour,  with  a  good,  strong,  and  unfeigned  faith. 
For,  as  I  told  you  before,  he  had  heard  before  of  Christ,  of 
his  proclamation,  which  moved  him  now  in  his  distress  to 
come  unto  him.  And  no  doubt  he  had  a  good  substantial, 
faith,  as  it  appeared  by  his  behaviour :  yet  he  had  not  so 
thM  er  good  a  faith  as  the  centurion  had,  which  sent  a  message  unto 
him,  saying,  "  Lord,  say  but  one  word,  and  my  servant  shall 
be  whole."  This  was  a  wonderful3  great  faith :  insomuch 
that  Christ  saith,  Dico  vobis,  ne  in  Israel  quidem  tantam 

Matth.  viii.  fidem  invent;  "  I  have  not  found  such  a  faith  in  all  Israel." 
But  though  this  Jairus  had  not  so  good  a  faith  as  the  cen- 
turion had,  yet  he  hath4  such  one  which  leadeth  him  to 
Christ.  He  cometh  to  Christ,  he  believeth  that  Christ  is  able 
to  help  him ;  and  according  unto  his  belief  it  happeneth  unto 
him :  for  his  daughter  was  healed,  as  ye  shall  hear  afterward. 
And  so  upon  him  is  fulfilled  the  scripture,  Credidi,  propter 
quod  loquutus  sum ;  "I  have  believed,  and  therefore  I  have 
spoken."  For  look,  what  man  soever  hath  a  good  faith,  he 
will  not  hold  his  peace  :  he  will  speak ;   he  will  call  for  help 

goo"1  filth.3  at  his  hands.  For  if  this  Jairus  had  not  had  a  good  faith, 
he  would  not  have  humbled  himself  so  much,  to  fall  down 
before  such  a  poor  man  as  our  Saviour  was.  Some  would 
have  had  respect  to  their  honours :  they  would  have  thought 
it  scorn  to  fall  down  before  such  a  poor  man  as  our  Saviour 
was ;  or  else  he  would  have  been  afraid  of  the  people  that 
were  present,  to  honour  him  so  highly,  and  to  confess  him 
to  be  a  helper.  And  no  doubt  that  Jairus  was  in  great 
danger  of  his  life  ;   for  Christ  was  not  beloved  amongst  the 

[i  wyssardes,  1562.]  p  Marry,  1562.] 

[3  wonders,  1562.]  [*  hath  had,  1562.] 


XXIX.]    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.    535 

Jews :  therefore  it  was  a  great  matter  for  this  Jairus  to 
honour  Christ  so  openly  before  all  the  multitude.  And  no 
doubt,  if  he  had  not  had  so  good,  strong,  and  earnest  faith, 
he  would  not  have  done  as  he  did :  but  he  had  a  good 
strong  faith  ;  therefore  he  was  not  afraid  of  any  thing  in  the 
world. 

Now  ye  shall  learn  of  tins  Jairus,  first,  by  his  ensample  Jairus  impb 
to  go  to  Christ ;  in  all  distresses  to  seek  help  by  him :  and  t»° twngs. 
also,  ye  shall  mark  and  observe  his  great  and  fatherly  love 
that  he  hath  towards  his  daughter ;  for  he  maketh  great  suit 
to  Christ  for  her,  which  signifieth  that  he  hath  a  great  and 
earnest  love  towards  her.  The  same  fatherly  affection  and 
love  of  the  parents  towards  their  children  is  the  good  gift  of 
God :  and  God  hath  planted  the  same  in  their  hearts ;  and 
this  specially  for  two  respects.  First,  for  the  children's  sake : 
for  it  is  an  irksome  thing  to  bring  up  children ;  and  not  only 
that,  but  also  it  is  a  chargeable  thing  to  keep  them,  and  to 
wait  upon  them,  and  preserve  them  from  all  peril:  if  Godihecom- 
had  not  planted  such  love  in  the  parents'  hearts,  indeed  it  natural0 
were  impossible  to  do  so  much  for  them ;  but  God  hath 
planted  such  love  in  their  hearts,  which  love  taketh  away  all 
the  irksomeness  of  all  labour  and  pain.  For  what  is  a  child 
when  it  is  left  alone  ?  What  can  it  do  ?  How  is  it  able  to 
live  ?  Another  cause  is,  wherefore  God  hath  planted  such 
love  in  the  parents'  hearts  towards  their  children,  that  we 
might  learn  by  it  what  affections  he  beareth  towards  us. 
For  though  the  love  of  parents  towards  their  children  be 
very  great,  yet  the  love  of  God  towards  us  is  greater :  yea, 
his  love  towards  us  passeth  far  all  fatherly  love  which  they 
have  towards  their  children.  And  though  Christ  only  be  the 
very  natural  Son  of  God,  yet  with  his  death  and  passion  he 
hath  merited  that  we  be  the  chosen  children  of  God.  For  we  are  the 
God,  for  our  sake,  hath  bestowed  his  only  natural  Son  unto  children 
the  death,  to  the  end  that  we  should  be  made  through  him 
Ins  chosen  children.  Now,  therefore,  all  that  believe  in 
Christ,  and  trust  through  his  passion  to  be  saved,  all  they 
are  the  children  of  God,  and  God  loveth  them  more  than  any 
natural  father  loveth  his  child.  For  the  love  of  God  towards 
us  is  more  earnest  and  more  vehement  than  is  the  fatherly 
love  towards  his  natural  child :  which  thing  shall  comfort  us 
in  all  our  distress.    In  what  peril  or  danger  soever  we  bes  we 


cannot  love 
us  so  well 
God  doth. 


536  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [_SERM. 

shall  believe  that  God  is  our  Father  ;  and  therefore  we  shall 
come  unto  him  in  the  name  of  Christ,  his  natural  Son,  our 
Saviour.  Therefore  we  need  not  to  despair  in  any  manner 
of  things ;  but  rather,  whatsoever  we  have  in  hand,  let  us  run 
to  him  which  beareth  such  a  fatherly  affection  towards  us, 
more  a  great  deal  than  our  natural  fathers  and  mothers  can 
our  parents    (j0       As    for    our  carnal  or   temporal   fathers   and  mothers, 

cannot  love  I 

sometimes  they  be  unnatural,  so  that  they  will  not  help  their 
children  in  their  distress ;  sometimes,  again,  they  would  fain 
help,  but  they  are  not  able  to  help  them  :  but  our  heavenly 
Father,  he  is  loving  and  kind  towards  us,  so  that  he  will  help; 
and  then  again  he  is  mighty,  he  is  almighty  ;  he  can  and 
may  help :  so  that  there  lacketh  neither  good-will  in  him, 
neither  power.  Therefore  let  us  not  despair,  but  rather 
come  unto  him  in  all  tribulation ;  and  no  doubt  we  shall  bo 
eased  by  him.  For  certain  it  is,  that  the  almighty  God  hath 
greater  affection  towards  us,  than  our  natural  fathers  and 
mothers  can  have.  And  this  appeareth  by  that,  that  he  hath 
given  his  natural  Son,  the  highest  treasure  that  ever  he  had 
in  heaven  or  in  earth,  for  us,  even  unto  the  death,  in  his 
bitter  passion.  Further,  in  the  prophets  everywhere  he 
setteth  out  his  great  love  which  he  hath  towards  us,  saying, 
Nunquid  potest  mulier  oblivisci,  fyc,  "  Can  a  woman  forget 
her  own  child  which  she  hath  borne  into  this  world  ?  Yea, 
and  though  she  do  forget  the  same,  yet  will  not  I  forget 
thee."  It  is  a  rare  thing,  when  the  devil  so  much  prevaileth 
in  parents,  that  a  mother  should  neglect  or  forget  her  own 
child ;  yet,  saith  God,  "  Though  it  were  so  that  she  would 
forget  her  child,  yet  will  not  I  forget  thee,  when  thou  believ- 
est  in  my  Son  Christ:  for  the  devil  cannot  prevail  against  me, 
though  he  prevail  against  women,  so  that  sometimes  they 
forget  their  own  children,  or  kill  them ;  yet  shall  he  not  pre- 
vail against  me,  for  I  am  mightier  than  he  is."  Further,  his 
love  which  he  beareth  towards  us  is  expressed  in  the  seventh 
chapter  of  Matthew,  where  Christ  saith,  "  Is  there  any  man 
amongst  you  which,  if  his  son  ask  bread,  will  he  offer  him  a 
stone  ?  or  if  he  asketh  fish,  will  he  offer  him  a  serpent  ? 
If  ye  then,  being  evil,  can  give  your  children  good  gifts,  how 
much  more  shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  give  you 
good  things,  if  ye  ask  them  of  him  ! "  As  who  say,  Though 
you  be  evil,  yet  when  your  children  would  have  any  thing 


XXIX.]    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FOURTH  SUNDAY  APTER  TRINITY.    537 

that  might  hurt  them,  yet  you  being  fathers  and  mothers  do 

give  them  good  things,  which  shall  not   hurt  them.     Now, 

saith  he,  seeing  ye,  whose  nature  is  ill,  corrupt,  and  poisoned 

with  wickedness,  (for  there  is  no  saint  in  heaven,  neither  St  sin  remained 

Peter,  or  Paul,  but  when  they  were  here,  their  nature  was  saints. 

corrupt  and  given  to  wickedness,  and  so  they  might  be  called 

ill,)  can  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more 

will  God,  which  is  the  fountain  of  all  goodness,  give  you  good 

things  when  ye  desire  them  of  him !     Here  ye  may  learn 

now,  that   the  love    of   God  towards    mankind   passeth    all 

natural  love ;  and  that  he  is  ready  to  give  unto  every  one 

that  cometh  to  him  for  help ;   yea,  tho  very  Holy  Ghost  he 

will  give  us,  when  we  will  desire  it. 

Now  to  the  matter.      Tins  Jairus  is  a  good  and  loving 

father  towards  his  child ;  he   cometh  and  desireth  help  of 

Christ,  that  his  daughter  may  bo  healed.      A  covetous  man 

would  have  passed   on,  he  would  not  have  taken  so   much 

pain  as  to  come  to  Christ  and  desire  his  help.      Therefore 

by  this  Jairus  we  may  learn  to  have  a  good  faith  towards 

God,  and  a  right  natural  love   towards  our  children.      But 

it  is  a  comfortable  thing  to  consider  this  fatherly  affection  of 

God   towards  us.      If  we  would  well  consider  the   same,   it  The  con- 
sideration c.t 
would  stir  up   a  childly  love  in  our  hearts  towards  him,  so  JjJofi^*. 

that  we  would  be  content  to  be  ordered  by  him,  and  ruled  ^M  l<>  his 
according  to  his  pleasure.  Like  as  a  good  and  godly  child 
is  content  to  be  ruled  by  his  father  and  mother,  and  will  in 
no  wise  do  against  them ;  so  we  should  be  obedient  unto 
God,  like  as  the  child  is  unto  his  parents.  But  ye  will  say, 
"  I  pray  you  tell  us  what  is  the  will  of  God  ?"  Answer  : 
The  general  will  of  God  is  expressed  in  the  ten  Command- 
ments :  there  we  shall  find  what  we  shall  do,  and  what  we 
shall  leave  undone.  But  there  is  a  special  will  of  God,  which 
is  every  man's  calling ;  for  it  is  the  will  and  pleasure  of  God 
that  every  one  shall  do  according  unto  his  calling,  whereunto  Tnespeeiai 

*  .  °  .  .  will  of  God. 

God  hath  appointed  Inm :  as  the  magistrates,  their  calling  is 
to  see  that  all  things  be  Avell,  that  justice  be  executed,  that 
the  wicked  be  punished,  and  the  good  be  rewarded;  also1, 
that  the  good  and  godly  laws  bo  maintained  and  executed; 
and  most  specially,  that  the  word  of  God  be  taught,  that  the 
people  be  not  ignorant  in  that :  and  this  is  the  will  of  God. 
['  Item,  1502.] 


538  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

When  the  magistrates  do  so,  and  when  they  endeavour  them- 
selves that  God's  honour  and  glory  be  set  abroad,  and  that 
wickedness  be  abolished,  then  they  do  according  unto  their 
calling.  So  likewise  the  calling  of  the  subjects  is  to  be 
obedient  unto  the  magistrates ;  not  to  rebel  against  them  ; 
for  if1  they  do,  they  strive  against  God  himself,  and  shall 
be  punished  of  him.  Also2,  the  married  man  ought  to  do 
his  duty  towards  his  wife ;  that  is  the  will  of  God ;  to  love 
his  wife,  to  provide  for  her,  &c.  Likewise  the  woman  ought  to 
do  her  duty  towards  her  husband,  in  obeying  him  in  all  things 
that  be  not  against  God.  For  she  may  not  obey  her  husband 
in  wicked  things,  which  be  against  God ;  but  else  there  is  no 
exception,  but  obey  she  must :  for  so  it  is  written,  so  saith 

Gen.  in.  God  unto  her,  "  In  sorrow  shalt  thou  bring  forth  thy  chil- 
dren, and  thy  lust  shall  pertain  unto  thy  husband,  and  he. 
shall  have  the  rule  of  thee."  Now  when  the  woman  doth 
so,  then  she  doth  according  unto  her  calling.  Further,  mas- 
ters.ought  to  do  their  duties  towards  their  servants  and  house- 
hold ;  to  instruct  them  in  God's  word ;  to  let  them  have  their 
meat  and  drink.  Likewise,  servants  ought  to  obey  their 
masters  with  all  humbleness ;  to  serve  them  uprightly  and 
diligently,  according  as  God  willeth  them  to  do.  Now  this 
is  the  special  will  of  God,  namely,  that  every  one  shall  do 
according  unto  his  calling:,  as  God  willeth  him  to  do.     Now 

God's  father-  to  fulfil  this  will  of  God,  we  should  be  moved  by  the  great 

lv  affection  i 

should  move  i0Ve  and  fatherly  affections  which  God  beareth  towards  us : 

us  to  do  his  </ 

wiU-  this  love  should  move  us  to  obey  him,  like  as  the  good  child 

obeyeth  his  father  and  mother. 

Now  cometh  another  matter :  for  as  our  Saviour  was 
going  to  the  house  where  this  young  maid  lay  sick,  there 
cometh  a  good  faithful  woman  creeping  through  the  people ; 
for  our  Saviour  was  tossed  and  turmoiled  in  the  multitude  : 
for  ye  must  understand  that  this  Jairus  was  a  great  man3, 
a  man  of  great  estimation ;  therefore  the  people,  hearing  that 
his  daughter  was  sick  or  dead,  came  unto  him  to  go  with 
the  dead  corse4. 

over  hasty  Here  I  must  take  occasion  to  speak  somewhat :  there  be 

burvins  of  *■  , 

menace  many  now-a-days  very  hasty  to  bury  their  friends,  yea,  some- 
times before  they  be  well  dead.      I  heard  say  once,  that  a 

[i  when,  1562.]  [2  Item,  1562.1 

P  great  rich  man,  1607.]  [4  the  corse,  1562.] 


XXIX.]    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.    .r)3!) 

young  woman  was  sick,  and  fell  in  a  swoon :  her  friends 
which  were  with  her  by  and  by  made  her  ready  to  be  buried  ; 
and  when  they  went  with  the  corse,  and  were  coming  into 
the  church-yard,  the  corse  stirred,  and  the  vicar  commanded 
them  that  bare  her  to  set  her  down ;  and  so  finally  the 
woman  recovered.  I  toll  this  tale,  to  the  end  to  give  you 
warning  not  to  be  too  hasty  with  sick  folks.  I  have  read 
in  St  Augustine5,  that  there  was  once  a  man  which  lay  seven  pne  that  did 
days  speechless  ;  neither  seeing,  nor  hearing,  nor  yet  receiv-  in  a  trance. 
ing  any  sustenance,  except  some  liquor,  which  they  poured  in 
his  throat  with  a  quill.  Now  that  same  man,  after  seven 
days,  spake  again;  and  the  first  word  that  he  spake  was 
this,  "  What  is  the  clock  ?"  He  thought  he  had  lain  but  a 
little  while.  Now,  if  his  friends  had  been  so  hasty  with  him, 
he  should  have  been  buried  before  that  time.  Therefore,  I 
admonish  you  not  to  be  too  hasty  with  dead  corses :  as  long- 
as  they  be  warm,  keep  them  in  the  bed ;  for  when  a  man  is 
dead  indeed,  he  will  soon  be  cold. 

When  our  Saviour  was  going  amongst  this  great  multi- 
tude to  Jairus'  house,  there  cometh  a  woman  through  the 
people,  desirous  to  touch  his  garment.  The  evangelist  Mark 
setteth  out  this  story  more  plainly  than  Matthew  doth  :  he 
saith,  "  There  was  a  certain  woman  which  had  been  diseased  Mark  %. 
of  an  issue  twelve  years,  and  had  suffered  many  things  of 
many  physicians,  and  had  spent  all  that  she  had,  and  felt  no 
amendment  at  all,  but  rather  was  worse  and  worse.  When 
she  had  heard  of  Jesus,  she  came  in  the  press  of  the  people 
behind  him,  and  touched  his  garment :  for  she  said,  If  I  only 
may  touch  the  hem  of  his  clothes,  I  shall  be  whole."  This 
woman  was  sick  of  a  grievous 6  disease,  and  had  been  sick  of 
it  twelve  years.  Passa  est  multa,  "  She  had  suffered  much 
sorrow  by  it ;"  for  no  doubt,  whosoever  hath  ado  with  phy- 
sicians, he  must  be  a  sufferer :  it  is  an  irksome  thing  to  go  to  To  go  t<> 

.  physic  is 

physic  ;  a  man  must  receive  many  bitter  medicines  and  potions,  ^^j^ 
Therefore  Mark  saith,  "  She  suffered  much."     They  had  put 
her  to  great  pain,  and  she  had  bestowed  all  her  substance 
upon  them,  and  was  never  the  better,  but  rather  the  worse. 

[5  The  story  referred  to  seems  to  be  that  related  by  St  Augustine 
in  his  treatise,  Be  cura  pro  Mortuis  gerenda,  cap.  xii.  Oper.  Tom.  vi. 
col.  383.  Edit.  Bened.  Antverp.  1701.] 

[6  shameful,  1562.] 


540  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

Belike  she  had  been  a  woman  of  great  riches,  of  great1  sub- 
stances ;  else  she  should  not  have  been  able  to  wage  physicians 
so  long.  This  place  of  scripture  reproveth  not  physicians,  as 
though  physic  were  a  superfluous  thing,  and  not  necessary, 
because  this  woman  was  not  healed;  as  if2  ye  would  reason 
of  this  manner :  "  What,  shall  I  go  to  physic  ?  No,  that  I 
will  not ;  for  I  read  in  scripture  that  a  woman  spent  all  her 
goods  upon  physicians,  and  yet  was  never  the  better."  But 
this  text  maketh  no  more  against  physic,  than  this  text  doth 
against  labour,  where  Peter  saith,  Per  totam  noctem  labora- 
vimuset  nihil  cepimus;  "We  have  laboured  the  whole  night, 
and  have  gotten  nothing."  Noav  a  rash  fellow  will  say, 
"What,  hath  St  Peter  laboured  all  night  and  caught  nothing? 
Then  I  will  not  labour  at  all,  for  I  shall  get  nothing  with  my 
labour."  But  this  is  a  foolish  reasoning.  For  though  the  . 
woman  spent  all  upon  physicians,  and  yet  was  not  healed ; 
and  though  Peter  laboured  all  night,  and  catched  nothing ; 
yet  for  all  that  we  are  allowed  to  use  physic,  and  commanded 
to  labour.  For  so  saith  scripture  :  Honora  medicum  propter 
rhysie  is  necessitatem ;  "Honour  the  physician  for  need's  sake."  Also3, 
despised.  A  Deo  est  omnis  medela;  "From  God  is  all  cure,  and  the 
highest  hath  created  the  medicine."  If  we  knew  the  virtue 
of  every  herb,  we  might  be  our  own  physicians :  but  we  know 
them  not;  therefore  God  hath  ordained  that  some  should 
give  themselves  to  the  knowledge  of  such  things,  and  then 
teach  others. 
2  Kings  xx.  Wo   read   in   the  fourth   book    of  Kings,  the   twentieth 

chapter,  when  Ezcchias  the  king  was  sick,  God  sendeth 
Esay  the  prophet  unto  Mm,  saying,  Dispone  domui  tuce, 
quia  morieris;  "  Put  thy  house  in  an  order,  for  thou  shalt 
die."  But  here  note,  by  the  way,  that  God  required  the 
kino;  to  set  his  things  in  an  order,  to  make  Ins  testament : 
We  must  set  so  we  shall  follow  this  ensample.  When  we  perceive  that 
nr!u-r ^'"rore    God  will  call  us  out  of  this  life,  we  shall  order  all  things  so 

wc  die  & 

that  there  be  no  strifes  after  our  departure ;  that  men  may 
know  what  every  body  shall  have.  For  that  which  was  said 
to  Ezechias  is  said  to  every  one  of  us  :  for  God  loveth  not 
strifes  nor  contentions ;  he  is  a  God  of  unity  and  concord  : 
therefore,  to  avoid  all  contentions,  we  ought  to  set  our  things 

[!  and  good  substance,  1607.] 

[2  when,  1562.]  p  Item,  1562.] 


XXIX.]    RPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FOURTH   SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.     541 

in  good  order.  Now  although  God  sendeth  Esay  thither, 
to  tell  him  that  he  shall  die,  yet  it  was  not  such  a  strait 
sentence,  that  it  should  he  done  out  of  hand,  by  and  by  : 
but  rather  God  would  move  him  by  this  message,  that  Esay  By  threaten- 
brought,  to  make  suit  for  lono-er  life.  Like  as  he  sendeth  mmdeth  to 
Jonas  to  Nineveh  with  a  strait  commandment,  whereby  repentance. 
God  would  move  them  to  make  suit  and  moan  to  him,  and 
so  to  leave  their  sins  and  wicked  life.  Now  Ezechias  hearing- 
such  a  message  of  the  prophet,  what  did  he  ?  Marry,  he  fell 
to  prayer ;  rehearsing  how  beneficial  God  had  been  unto  him, 
saying :  "I  beseech  thee  now,  0  Lord,  remember  how  I  have 
walked  before  thee  in  truth,  and  with  a  perfect  heart ;  and 
have  done  that  which  is  good  in  thy  sight,  And  Ezechias 
wept  very  sore."  And  so  God  sendeth  the  prophet  unto  him 
again,  promising  him  that  he  should  live  yet  fifteen  years 
more.  Now  did  ho  nothing  else  after  that  he  had  this  pro- 
mise of  God  ?    Yes,  he  used  phvsic,  he  took  a  lump  of  figs,  Ezechias 

r    "  .  .  .         used  physic. 

and  laid  it  upon  the  sore ;  like  as  we  in  sickness  time  lay 
plasters  upon  it.  So  ye  see  by  the  ensample  of  Ezechias, 
that  it  is  lawful  to  use  physic.  But  now  at  our  time  physic 
is  a  remedy  prepared  only  for  rich  folks,  and  not  for  poor ; 
for  the  poor  man  is  not  able  to  wage  the  physician.  God, 
indeed,  hath  made  physic  for  rich  and  poor ;  but  physicians 
now-a-days  seek  only  their  own  profits,  how  to  get  money, 
not  how  they  might  do  good  unto  their  poor  neighbour. 
Whereby  it  appeareth,  that  they  be  for  the  most  part  with- 
out charity ;  and  so,  consequently,  not  the  children  of  God. 
And  no  doubt  but  the  heavy  judgment  of  God  hangeth  over 
their  heads :  for  they  are  commonly  all  wealthy,  and  ready 
to  purchase  lands;  but  to  help  their  poor  neighbour,  that 
they  cannot  do.  But  God  will  find  them  out  one  day,  I 
doubt  not.  We  must  beware  when  we  go  to  physic,  that  wemay 
we  trust  not  too  much  in  physicians,  and  forget  God  in  the  much  to 


trust  tno 
much  to 
physic. 


mean  season :  like  as  king  Asa  did,  which  had  a  disease  in 
his  feet,  and  is  much  reproved  because  he  sought  not  the 
Lord.  He  trusted  not  in  God,  but  rather  in  physicians  :  for 
the  scripture  saith,  "  In  his  sickness  he  sought  not  the  Lord,  zchron.  xvi. 
but  physicians."  I  knew  once  a  great  rich  man,  and  a  covet- 
ous feliow;  he  had  purchased  about  an  hundred  pound:  that 
same  stout  man  came  once  to  London,  where  he  fell  sick,  as 
stout  as  he  was ;  and  in  his  sickness,  when  he  was  exhorted 


542  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

to  bear  it  well,  and  submit  himself  unto  God,  he  cried  out 

with  horrible  swearings,  "  Shall  I  die  ?    shall  I  die  ?     Phy- 

The  covetous  gicians  !  physicians!  call  physicians!"     As  well  as  he  loved 

man  will  not  L     <J  . 

bcs'ow'his  n*s  8°^'  which  was  his  g0(lj  yet  he  could  find  in  his  heart 
ph°y"tc.  up°"  *°  spend  it  upon  physicians:  but  in  the  end  he  died 'like  a 
beast,  without  any  repentance.  This  man  now  abused  the 
physicians :  for  we  may  use  physic,  but  we  must  not  trust 
in  physic,  as  Asa  the  king  did,  and  that  wicked  man  of 
whom  I  told  you.  We  may  use  God's  provisions  and  reme- 
dies winch  he  hath  left  for  us ;  yet  for  all  that  we  may  not 
trust  in  them. 
Christ  did  Now  to  the  purpose.      "  This  woman  had  spent  all  her 

l','ot"uo°uld  g00(isJ  and  was  never  the  better."  Well ;  that  the  physicians 
could  not  do,  Christ  our  Saviour  did  it,  and  on  this  wise : 
there  was  a  great  multitude  of  people  about  Christ,  they, 
pressed  upon  him :  now  the  woman  cometh  amongst  the  press 
of  the  people  to  him,  desiring  to  touch  only  the  hem  of  his 
garment ;  for  she  believed  that  Christ  was  such  a  healthful 
man,  that  she  should  be  sound  as  soon  as  she  might  touch 
him  ;  which  came  to  pass  so  as  she  believed.  For  as  soon  as 
she  had  touched  him,  her  issue  was  stopped,  and  her  sickness 
gone  quite  and  clean.  She  was  a  shamefaced  woman :  she 
The  woman  was  not  so  bold  as  to  speak  to  our  Saviour ;  but  she  cometh 
iieaith.  behind  his  back,  and  stealeth,  as  it  were,  her  health.  But 
what  doth  our  Saviour  ?  He  would  not  suffer  her  to  be  hid, 
but  saith  to  his  disciples,  Quis  me  tetigit,  "  Who  hath 
touched  my  clothes  ? "  His  disciples  made  answer,  saying, 
"  Thou  seest  the  people  thrust  thee,  and  askest  thou,  Who 
touched  me  ?  And  he  looked  round  about  for  to  see  her  that 
had  done  this  thing.  But  the  woman,  fearing  and  trembling, 
knowing  what  was  done  within  her,  came  and  fell  down  be- 
fore him,  and  told  him  all  the  truth."  No  doubt  this  woman 
was  ashamed  to  confess  her  filthy  sickness  before  the  whole 
multitude :  but  what  then  ?  Christ  would  have  it  so.  "  I 
perceive,"  saith  Christ,  "  that  virtue  is  gone  out  of  me."  He 
The  virtue  saith  not,  "My  cloke,  or  my  vestment  hath  done  a  work:" 
of  the  coat,  but  he  saith,  Scio  virtutem  ex  me  exivisse ;  "I  know  virtue 
Christ.  is  gone  out  of  me.11  Therefore  we  shall  not  be  so  foolish  to 
think  that  our  Saviour's  hem  had  made  the  woman  whole ; 
but  rather  her  good  faith  and  trust  which  she  had  in  our 
Saviour.      We  must  not  do  as  the  foolish  blind  papists  do, 


XXIX. J    EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FOURTH  SUNDAY    AFTER  TRINITY.    543 

which  impute  great  holiness  unto  the  vestment  of  our  Saviour. 
So  ye  see  that  this  woman  was  made  whole  by  Christ, 
through  him,  by  his  divine  power.  And  so  is  verified  this 
which  scripture  saith,  "That  which  is  impossible  unto  man,  That  which 
is  possible  unto  God."  Physicians  had  despaired  of  that « i'm  ™  lr 
woman;  it  passed  their  cunning  to  help  her  :  but  our  Saviour,  God. 
he  declared  his  divine  power,  and  healed  her  out  of  hand  : 
she  doing  nothing  but  touching  the  hem  of  his  vestment.  So 
God  can  help,  when  men  cannot.  An  ensample  we  have  in 
scripture  :  when  the  people  of  Israel  going  out  of  Egypt  came 
unto  the  Red  Sea,  they  had  great  hills  of  both  sides.  Pha- 
rao,  the  king  of  Egypt,  followed  with  all  his  host  at  their 
backs,  the  Red  Sea  was  afore  them ;  so  that  there  was 
nothing,  after  man's  reason,  but  to  perish.  What  doth  God  ? 
Marry,  he  divided  by  his  infinite  power  the  Red  Sea,  and 
delivered  them  out  of  all  danger.  So  it  appeared  that  God 
is  able  to  defend  his  people  that  believe  in  him  extraordi- 
narily. Likewise  in  the  wilderness  they  had  no  corn,  nor 
any  thing  to  eat ;  there  was  no  ordinary  way  to  live.  What 
doth  God  ?  He  taketh  an  extraordinary  way  ;  he  sendeth 
manna  from  heaven.  So  we  see  that  he  is  able  to  help  us 
supernaturally.  But  yet  we  must  take  heed  and  not  tempt  we  must  not 
God ;  we  must  use  all  such  means  as  he  hath  appointed  to 
sustain  this  life,  else  we  should  tempt  God,  which  is  forbidden. 
So  likewise  we  read,  that  when  David  was  in  the  wilderness, 
and  Saul  had  compassed  him  round  about,  so  that  he,  after 
man's  judgment,  could  not  escape  ;  what  doth  God  ?  Marry,  1  Sam.  xxiii. 
he  sendeth  the  Philistines  into  the  land  of  Saul ;  which  when 
Saul  heard  of,  he  went  back  and  left  David.  So  by  that 
means  God  delivered  his  faithful  servant  David  out  of  the 
hands  of  this  cruel  enemy  Saul.  By  these  ensamples  we 
may  learn  to  put  our  trust  and  hope  in  God  in  all  manner  of 
troubles,  like  as  this  woman  did  hers.  She  believed  in  our 
Saviour,  and  therefore  she  was  healed.  All  England,  yea,  all  ™J  w0™an 
the  world,  may  take  this  woman  for  a  schoolmistress ; 
by  her  to  trust  in  Christ,  and  to  seek  help  at  his  hands. 

Again,  by  this  woman  you  may  learn  that  God  some- 
times bringeth  some  low,  and  humbleth  them  to  that  end  to 
promote  them,  and4  to  bring  them  aloft.  As  in  this  woman, 
she  was  sick  twelve  years,  and  vexed  with  such  an  irksome 
sickness ;   but  at  the  length  she  was  healed  :    and  not  only 


544  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

that,  but  also  exalted,  for   Christ  called  her  his  daughter ; 
which  was  the  greatest  promotion  that  could  be.      So  like- 
menZni-of  wise  Joseph  was  in  great  misery,  sold  into  Egypt,  and  after- 
exalted.be      ward  cast  into  prison,  where  he  lay  a  great  while  ;  he  was 
greatly  humbled:  but  what  was  the  end  of  it?    Forsooth1, 
he  was  a  ruler  over  all  Egypt  :  this  was  a  great  promotion. 
So  likewise  David  was  humbled,  made  an  outlaw,  an  outcast; 
durst  not  shew  himself:  but  in  the  end  he  was  made  king 
over  all  Jewry ;   being  at  the  first  but  a  shepherd,  and  after- 
ward an  outlaw,  but  in  the  end  he  was  made  king.      So  this 
woman,  though  she  was  low,  and  loth  to  confess  her  filthy 
disease,  yet  she  was  well  promoted,  after  she  had  confessed 
it :  she  was  made  his  daughter,  which  was  a  great  promotion, 
we  would     But   mark,   that    Christ   saith   not  to   her,    "My  hem   hath 

make  much  « 

,h'[',;n',7;t;hail  healed  thee;"  but  he  saith,  "  Thy  faith  hath  holpen  thee.". 

u  Peradventure,  if  we  had  this  hem,  we  would  make  a  great 

matter  of  it ;   which   thing   were   but  foolery.      Let   us   use 

prayer,  which  hath  a  promise  ;  for  God  promiseth,  that  when 

we  pray  unto  him  we  shall  be  heard :   when  we  pray  with  a 

faithful  heart,  as  this  woman  did,  which  believed  that  Christ 

would  help  her  ;  and  for  this  faith  sake  she  was  so  highly 

commended  of  Christ,  and  all  the  people  were  edified  by  her 

ensample.     But    specially    Jairus,    that    great    man,    whose 

daughter  lay  sick,   he  had  cause  to  strengthen  his  faith  by 

the    ensample    of   this  woman  ;  which   woman  believed  the 

word  of  God,  and  therefore  she  came  unto  Christ.      So  let  us 

do  too  ;  let  us  stay  ourselves  upon  God's  word.    Christ  saith, 

Venite  ad  me  omnes  ;  "  Come  ye  all  to  me."     Let  us  follow 

The  faith      tins  word,  and  let  us  come  unto  him  :  for  tins  faith  that  hath 

(lo'Vs  word  is  God's  word  is  a  true  faith;   but  that  faith  which  hath  not 

God's  word  is  a  lying  faith,  a  false  faith.     As  the  Turks  and 

Jews,  they  have  a  faith,  but  their  faith  is  not  grounded  in 

God's  word  ;  and  therefore  it  is  a  lying  faith,  because  it  hath 

Neither  doth  not  the   word   of  God.      Therefore,  like  as   the  doctrine  is 

tt'iUmuYVhe    nothing,  bringeth  no  profit2,  without  the  word  of  God ;  so  the 

tiu.  word       word  of  God  bringeth  no  commodities  except  faith  be  there, 

without  °  x 

faith-  except   it   be  believed;    else  it   is  to  no  purpose.      But  this 

woman  believed  the  word  of  God  ;  she  believed  that  Christ 

was  come  to  heal  the  sick,   of  souls   and  bodies ;  therefore 

according   unto  her  belief  it  happened   unto   her.      And    no 

[l  Marry,  1562.]  [2  bringeth  no  profit,  inserted  from  1562.] 


XXIX.]  EPISTLE   FOR  TWENTY-FOURTH   SUNDAY   AFTER  TRINITY.    545 

doubt  she  is  a  saint  in  heaven ;  for  we  read  not  that  she 
fell  afterward  from  Christ.  So  we  learn  by  this  woman 
to  have  a  good  faith  in  Christ :  we  must  not  run  hither  and 
thither  to  seek  that  hem.  ISTo ;  we  must  believe  in  him  in 
all  distresses  ;  come  unto  him ;  seek  help  and  comfort  by 
him. 

Now  our  Saviour,  after  that  he  had  healed  this  woman, 
he  goeth  to  this  great  man's  house,  which  had  called  him  to 
make  sound  his  daughter  :  when  he  cometh  near  unto  the 
house,  there  cometh  one  of  Jairus'   servants,  saying,  "  Thy 
daughter  is  dead,  she  is  gone ;   trouble  the  master  no  longer, 
for  all  help   is  past."      Lo,  this  had  been  enough  to  bring 
Jairus  out  of  his  faith,  hearing  that  his  daughter  was  dead 
already  ;  it  was  a  great  temptation  unto  him.      But  here  ye  we  must 
may  learn,  that  when  ye  go  by  the  way,  and  ye  have  occa-sSontodo*" 
sion    to   do   a   good   deed,  do   it.      Follow   the  cnsample  ofe°( 
Christ ;  for  he  was  going  to  Jairus1  house,  and  in  the  way 
he  did  tins  good  deed,  in  healing  that  diseased  woman ;  giving 
unto  us  an  ensample,  that  we  should  intermit  no  occasion, 
but  whensoever  we  have  opportunity  to  do  good  wo  should3 
do   it.      And   here  we   learn   another  thing  in  our  Saviour, 
namely,  that  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with  him  :   he 
regardeth  not  the  outward  shew   of  men,  whether  they  be 
poor  or  rich ;  but,  as  St  Peter  saith,  "  In  all  people  he  that 
feareth  God,  and  worketh  righteousness,  he  is  accepted  unto 
him."      For    Christ  refused  no  man,  neither  rich  nor  poor. 
But  we  see  they  that  be  poor  are  commonly  ill  handled  in 
this  world ;  no   man   regardeth   them,    every  man   despiseth 
them.     Again,  we  read  everywhere,  that  the  rich  and  great 
men  are  ill  spoken  of  in  scripture.      Potentes  potenter  tor- 
menta  patientur ;   "  Thy  mighty  men   shall    mightily   suffer 
pains  in  hell:"   yet  this  scripture  disalloweth  or  reproveth  The  rich  men 
not  great  men  and  mighty  rulers;  but  it  spcaketh  against Jjjj" o£j|| ^ 
those  which  abuse  their  power  wherewith   God  hath  endued 
them,  oppress  other  poor  men,  do  them  wrong  and  injuries. 
For  commonly  it  is  seen,  that  they  that  be  rich  arc  lofty  and 
stout,  and  abuse  their  riches  or  their  power  :  for  no  doubt 
riches  may  be  used  to  good  purposes.     But  our  Saviour,  he  Christ  bath 
hath  no   respect  to  persons,  whether  they  be  poor  or  rich  :  of  persons. 
for  here  we  see  how  he   helpeth  first  the  poor  woman,  and 
[3  shall.  1562.] 

[LATIMER.] 


Nothing 

should  dis- 
courage us, 


546  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

now    is   going    to    help   the   rich   man  too ;  to  raise  up  his 
daughter,  which  was  dead  and  ready  to  be  buried. 

Further,  we  learn  here  by  this  Jairus  to  be  constant  and 
stedfast  in  our  faith,  not  to  be  moved  with  every  wind  :  for 
there  was  many  things  which  might  have  moved  this  Jairus 
to  mistrust  our  Saviour,  and  to  run  from  him.  First,  his 
servant,  that  came  and  told  him,  "  Thy  daughter  is  gone;" 
which  was  a  great  discomfort :  for  as  long  as  she  was  yet 
alive,  he  had  a  good  hope;  but  when  he  heard  that  she  was 
gone,  it  discouraged  him  very  sore.  Secondarily,  the  prepa- 
ration which  was  made  for  her  to  be  buried ;  for  all  the 
people  were  come  now  to  go  with  the  corse,  which  was  a 
great  discomfort  unto  him  also.  Thirdly,  the  words  of  our 
Saviour  most  and  above  all  things  discomforted  him,  when 
our  Saviour  saith,  "  She  is  not  dead,  but  she  sleepeth."  By 
these  words  Jairus  might  have  conceived  an  ill  opinion  in 
him,  saying,  "  What !  He  thinketh  that  she  sleepeth !  No ; 
if  it  were  so,  I  could  raise  her  up  myself."  Of  such  wise 
this  Jairus  was  tempted.  Now  when  they  came  near  unto 
the  house,  there  was  a  great  number  of  people  which  laughed 
our  Saviour  to  scorn,  when  he  said  that  she  slept.  Where 
we  may  learn  to  be  content,  though  we  be  despised  and  not 
set  by  in  this  world ;  seeing  that  our  Saviour  himself  was  of 
such  wise  despised.  I  doubt  not  but  I  have  been  laughed  to 
scorn  when  I  have  preached,  that  the  way  to  get  riches  is  to 
give  away  to  the  poor  this  that  we  have.  They  have  called 
me  old  doting  fool :  but  what  then  ?  We  must  be  content  to 
be  despised  with  Christ  here  in  this  world,  that  we  may  bo 
glorified  with  him  in  yonder  world1. 
The  use  of  Here  is  mention  made  of  minstrels  :  no  doubt  they  have 

minstrels  and     ,  ,  ,         ,,  ,,  i    ,        i    •  1 

tens.  their  good  use,  to  make  folk  merry,  and  to  drive  away  phan- 

tasies. At  that  time  they  used  minstrels  to  their  burials,  as 
we  use  here  bells.  Now  our  Saviour  seeing  the  people  that 
were  come  to  go  with  the  corse,  and  the  pipers  and  minstrels 
ready,  he  comforted  Jairus,  which  no  doubt  was  in  great 
anguish:  therefore  Christ  saith  unto  him,  Noli  timer -e ; 
tantum  crede ;  "Fear  not;  but  only  believe :  continue  only 
in  thy  faith  towards  me,  and  all  things  shall  be  well."  Now 
like  as  he  saith  to  Jairus,  so  he  saith  to  us  too  :  in  what 
peril  or  tribulation  soever  we  be,  we  should  not  faint,  wc 
[!  woi'ld  to  come,  1607.] 


XXIX.]   EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY.    547 

should  nofc  fear,  but  believe;   he  will  regard  our  faith,  as 
much  as  he  regarded  the  faith  of  Jairus.      And  we  shall 
attain  to  such  an  end  as  he  did.       For  ye  must  consider,  The  mum 
that  the  almighty  God  dcth  sometimes  put  off  the  fulfilling  s™nlH{|; _;;;;' 
of  his  promises,  and  helpeth  not  by  and  by;  but  wherefore  by  and  by. 
doth  he  so  ?    For2  his  own  glory's  sake  :    for  if  we  should 
have  by  and   by  that  thing  which  we  desire,  then  perad- 
venture  we  should  attribute  it  unto  our  own  selves,  and  not 
unto  God.      Therefore  it  cometh   not  by  and  by,  that  we 
may  afterwards,  when  we  have  it,  be  the  more  thankful  for 
his  help.      Therefore  let  us  continue  in  prayer,  and  in  faith ; 
and  no  doubt  he  will  help  when  it  is  the  very  time.      Ex- 
specta  Dominum,  saith  David,  "Tarry  for  the  Lord;"  veniet 
et  non  tardabit ;  "  He  will  come,  and  not  tarry ;  and  when 
he  cometh,  he  will  set  all  things  in  good  order." 

Now   he   saith  to   the  people,    Quid  ploratis  ?    "  What 
ween  ve?"      You   must  understand   that   our    Saviour  con-  Christ  con- 

1      J  .  ......     demucth  not 

demneth  not  all  manner  of  weeping,  but  only  that  winch  is  an  weeping, 
without  hope:  of  which  St  Paul  speaketh,  Tanquam  qui 
spem  non  habent ;  "As  they  that  have  no  hope."  But 
charitable  weeping  is  allowed,  yea,  commanded ;  for  St  Paul 
saith,  Flete  cum  flentibus;  "Weep  with  them  that  weep, 
be  sorrowful  with  them  that  be  sorrowful."  Yet  do  it 
measurably,  as  it  becometh  Christians.  In  the  time  of 
popery,  before  the  gospel  came  amongst  us,  we  went  to 
burials  with  weeping  and  wailing,  as  though  there  were  no 
God :  but  since  the  gospel  came  unto  us,  I  have  heard  say, 
that  in  some  places  they  go  with  the  corses  grinning  and 
flearing,  as  though  they  went  to  a  bear-baiting ;  which  thing 
no  doubt  is  naught.  For  like  as  too  much  weeping  is 
naught,  so  to  be  aaropyo^  "  without  affection,"  is  naught 
too :  we  should  keep  a  measure  in  all  things.  We  read  in 
holy  scripture,  that  the  holy  patriarch  Abraham  mourned  for  The  mean  i* 
his  wife  Sarah  ;  so  likewise  did  Joseph  for  his  father  Jacob  :  these  thi^s. 
therefore  to  weep  charitably  and  measurably  is  not  ill,  but 
good,  and  allowed  in  God's  word.  So  likewise  in  the  new 
Testament,  when  that  holy  man  St  Stephen  was  stoned  to 
death,  the  text  saith,  that  the  church  fecerunt  planctum 
magnum,  "made  great  lamentation  and  weeping  over  him." 
Here  I  might  have  occasion  to  speak  against  those  women 
p  Marry,  for,  1562.] 


54<8  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN    LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

it  is  not       which  so  soon  forget  their  husbands  that  be  departed  ;  which 

comely  in  ~  .       .         x 

married        thing   I   cannot   very   well   allow,  for   it   is   a  token  of  an 

persons  to  o  <l 

r    unperfect  love.     It  was  a  law  among  the  Romans,  that  no 


malrs. 


woman  should  marry  again  before  twelve  months  were  ex- 
pired ;  which  no  doubt  was  an  honest  law  :  but  to  avoid 
whoredom,  let  the  christian  woman  use  her  liberty. 

Now  when  our  Saviour  was  come  to  the  house,  he  suf- 
fered no  man  to  go  in  with  him  but  Peter,  James,  and  John, 
and  the  father  and  mother  of  the  child ;  all  the  other  he 
thrust  out :  and  took  the  maid  by  the  hand,  saying,  Talitha 
cumi ;  "  Maid,  I  say  unto  thee,  arise :"  and  her  spirit  came 
again,  and  she  arose  straightways.  What  shall  we  learn 
here?  We1  shall  learn  here,  that  our  Saviour  did  overcome 
death ;  that  he  is  the  Lord  over  death ;  that  he  hath  the 
victory  over  him.  Secondarily,  we  learn  here,  that  our 
Saviour  is  very  God,  because  he  commandeth  death.  For  I 
neath  obey-   tell  you,  death  is  such  an  arrogant  and  stubborn  fellow,  that 

t-tli  none  but  <J        '  ~ 

God  alone.     jie  wyv[  q^qj  nobody  but  only  God.      Now  he   obeyed  our 

Saviour,  whereby  it  appeareth,  that  he  is  Lord  over  death. 

He  said,   "  Maid,  I  say  unto  thee,  arise ;"  and  by  and  by 

she  was  made  whole2 :  for  she  ate,  to  signify  that  she  was 

made  right  whole.     Here  our  Saviour  shewed  himself  to  be 

very  God,  and  so  the  Lord  over  death ;  fulfilling  the  saying 

i  cor.  xv.      of  St  Paul,  Ero  mors  tua,  O  mors ;  "  0  death,  I  shall  be 

thy  death."     This  is  now  a  comfortable  thing,  that  we  know 

that  Christ  hath  overcome  death ;  and  not  for  himself,  but 

for  us,  for  our  sake3 :    so  that  when  we  believe  in   Christ. 

death  shall  not  hurt  us,  for  he  hath  lost  his  strength  and 

power ;  insomuch  that  it  is  no  more  a  death,  but  rather  a 

sleep,  to  all  them  that  be  faithful  and  fear  God ;  from  which 

non IhTiibe"  s*eeP   ^ey  sna^  rise  to  everlastmg  hYe-     Also   the  wicked 

and  badgood  truly  shall  rise,  but  they  shall  rise  to  their  damnation ;    so 

two  sons  of  that  it  were  better  for  them  never  to  rise.     There  be  two 

people  loth 

to  sleep.  kinds  of  people  which  will  not  sleep  :  the  first  be  the  chil- 
dren, which  weep  and  grieve  when  they  shall  go  to  bed, 
because  they  know  not  the  commodities  that  be  in  sleep ; 
they  know  not  that  the  sleep  refresheth  a  man's  body,  and 
maketh  him  to  forget  all  the  labours  which  he  hath  had 
before :  this  the  children  know  not,  therefore  they  go  with 

t1  Many,  1562.]  [2  was  perfectly  whole,  1562.] 

[3  for  our  sake  only,  1562.] 


XXIX.]   EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY -FOURTH  SUNDAY   AFTER  TRINITY.   549 

an  ill  will  to  bed.  The  other  be  drunkards,  which  be  given 
to  great  drinking :  they  care  not  though  they  be  all  night 
at  it ;  and  commonly  the  sleep  doth  them  harm,  for  it 
maketh  them  have4  heavy  foreheads.  So  likewise  there  bo 
two  kind  of  men  that  fear  death :  which  death  in  very  deed 
ought  not  to  be  feared ;  for  he  is  the  best  physician  that 
ever  was,  he  delivereth  at  a  clap  from  all  miseries  and 
diseases ;  therefore  he  ought  not  to  be  feared.  But  as  I 
told  you,  two  kind  of  men  there  be  that  fear  him:  the 
children,  that  is  to  say,  they  that  are  childish  to  God- ward, 
that  are  ignorant  in  scripture,  that  know  not  what  great 
treasures  we  shall  receive  at  God's  hands  after  this  life ; 
but  they  are  all  wholly  set  and  bent  upon  this  world :   and  what  sorts 

i  ii-ii!  -n  iii-  of  people 

these  are  the  children  that  will  not  Q'O  to   bed ;    that  is  to  they  are  that 

°  .  fear  death. 

say,  that  fear  death ;  that  are  loth  to  go  out  of  this  world. 
The  other  be  drunkards,  that  be  customable  sinners,  that 
will  not  amend  their  lives ;  that  are  drunken,  or  drowned 
in  sins  and  wickedness ;  that  regard  sin  nothing ;  they  are 
not  weary  of  it :  like  as  it  is  written,  Peccator  cum  in 
medium  peccatorum  venit,  contemnit ;  "  The  sinner  when 
he  cometh  in  the  midst  of  his  sin,  then  he  careth  no  more 
for  it;  he  despiseth  it,  he  is  not  sorry  for  it."  What 
remedy  now?    Forsooth5,    this:    they  that   be   in    case  as  a  remedy 

i-iii  i  i  i  i  ii  for  these  two 

children  be,  that  is  to  say,  they  that  be  ignorant,  let  them  sorts  of  peo 
get  knowledge ;  let  them  endeavour  themselves  to  understand 
God's  holy  word,  wherein  is  set  out  his  will,  what  he  would 
have  us  to  do.  Now,  when  they  have  heard  God's  word, 
and  believed  that  same,  no  doubt  all  the  fear  of  death  will 
be  vanished,  and  gone  quite  away.  For  they  shall  find 
in  God's  word,  that  death  hath  lost  his  strength ;  that  ho 
cannot  hurt  any  more.  Likewise  they  that  bo  drunkards, 
that  is  to  say,  that  be  customable  sinners,  let  them  repent 
here  where  the  time  of  grace  is ;  let  them  amend  their  lives ; 
be  sorry  for  that  they  have  done,  and  take  heed  hence- 
forward ;  and  believe  in  Christ,  to  be  saved  by  and  through 
his  passion.  For  I  tell  you  drunkards,  you  customable  sin- 
ners, as  long  as  you  live  in  sin  and  wickedness,  and  have 
a  delight  in  them,  so  long  you  are  not  in  the  favour  of  God ; 
you  stink  before  his  face.  For  we  must  wrestle  with  sin; 
we  must  hate  sin,  not  agree  unto  it :  when  ye  do  so,  then 
[4  maketh  them  heavy,  1562.]  [•'■  Marry,  1.502.] 


550  SERMONS    PREACHED    IN     LINCOLNSHIRE.  [sERM. 

Christ  hath    ye  ought  not  to  be  afraid  of  death ;  for  the  death  of  Christ 
death.  our  Saviour  hath  killed  our  death,  so  that  he  cannot  hurt 

us.      Notwithstanding,  death  hath  bitter  potions ;   but  what 
then  ?    As  soon  as  he  hath  done  his  office,  we  are  at  liberty, 
and  have  escaped  all  peril. 
<Aucstiroi!y  I  w*^  ask  nere  a  great  clerkly  question :  Where  was  the 

soul  now  after  it  went  out  of  this  young  maid?  It  was  not 
in  heaven,  nor  in  hell ;  Nam  in  inferno  non  est  redemptio ; 
"  There  is  no  redemption  in  hell."  Where  was  it  then  ? 
In  purgatory  ?  So  the  papists  have  reasoned :  it  was  not 
in  hell,  nor  in  heaven ;  therefore 1  it  was  in  purgatory : 
which  no  doubt  is  a  vain,  foolish  argument.  Now  I  will 
a  godly  and  make  a  clerkly  answer  imto  my  question,  and  such  an  an- 
swer that,  if  the  bishop  of  Rome  would  have  gone  no 
further,  we  should  have  been  well  enough ;  there  would  not' 
have  been  such  errors  and  fooleries  in  religion  as  there  hath 
been.  Now  my  answer  is  this  :  "  I  cannot  tell ;  but  where 
it  pleased  God  it  should  be,  there  it  was."  Is  not  this  a 
good  ansAver  to  such  a  clerkly  question  ?  I  think  it  be  : 
other  answer  nobody  gets  at  me ;  because  the  scripture 
tellcth  me  not  where  she  was. 

Now  ye  have  heard,  that  our  Saviour  is  the  Lord  over 
death,  and  so  consequently  very  God,  because  he  raised  up 
this  young  woman  which  was  dead.  But  peradventure  ye 
will  say,  "  It  is  no  great  matter  that  he  raised  up  a  maiden 
which  was  dead ;  for  we  read  of  Elisha  the  prophet,  that 
ho  raised  up  a  young  man  from  death."  Answer :  truth  it 
is,  he  raised  him  up,  but  not  by  his  own  power,  not  in  his 
own  name,  but  by  the  power  of  God ;  he  did  it  not  by 
Christ  raised  himself.  But  Christ  our  Saviour,  he  raised  up  Lazarus,  and 
hy  ins  own  this  young  maid,  by  his  own  divine  power  ;  shewing  himself 
to  be  very  God,  and  the  Son  of  the  Father  eternal :  there- 
fore he  saith,  Ego  sum  resurrectio  et  vita ;  "  I  am  the 
resurrection  and  the  life."  This  was  his  doctrine.  Now 
to  prove  that  doctrine  to  be  true,  he  did  miracles  by  Ins 
own  divine  power,  shewing  himself  to  be  very  God :  so  did 
not  the  prophets ;  they  were  God's  servants,  God's  ministers ; 
but  they  were  not  gods  themselves,  neither  did  they  any 
thing  in  their  own  name. 

Noav  to  make  an  end.      Let  us  remember  what  we  have 
t1  ergo,  1562.] 


XXIX.]   EPISTLE  FOR  TWENTY-FOURTH   SUNDAY   AFTEB    TRINITY.   551 

heard :  let  us  take  heed  that  wo  be  not  customable  sinners, 
but  rather  let  us  strive  with  sin  :  for  I  tell  you,  there  be 
but  few  of  those  that  spend  all  their  time  in  the  pleasures 
of  the  flesh,  that  speed  well  at  the  end :  therefore  let  us 
take  heed.  The  murderer  upon  the  cross,  he  sped  well ; 
but  what  then?  Let  us  not  presume  to  tarry  in  wickedness 
still,  to  the  last  point  of  our  life  :  let  us  leave  wickedness, 
and  strive  with  our  fleshly  affections;  then  we  shall  attain 
in  the  end  to  that  felicity,  which  God  hath  prepared  for 
all  them  that  love  him :  to  whom,  with  the  Sun  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  be  all  honour  and  glory !     Amen. 


DATE  DUE 

cj^mmi 

6*- 





^mm&*&m 

W13** 

B- 

Au 

jLia^o 

CAVLORD 

1  ,„TED1N0.... 

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